What’s happening: Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation held a groundbreaking ceremony for the
redesign of Packard Park this week.
The $1.9 million project will feature two new playgrounds, one for preschool and one for elementary-age children. The redesign also adds an event lawn, an event plaza, a 1/8 mile-walking path, and new pedestrian connections to the surrounding neighborhood. The plan also calls for major landscaping improvements, including the planting of shade and ornamental trees.
Renovations are expected to be complete by the summer of 2025.
The 4.5-acre park will keep its existing pavilion and restrooms, as well as the Beasley Outdoor Futsal Courts, which were installed in 2018.
Why it matters: Area residents have been engaged in conversations about updating this park as far back as 2018. Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Director Steve McDaniel says residents in the area came to their department with concerns about the park about five years ago and have been actively engaged in the planning, funding, and creation of the redesign since then.
“We sat down with them, listened to them, and then we asked them to put together a steering committee– so people of the neighborhood that would push this project forward,” McDaniels explains. “We had a great steering committee come together.”
The COVID-19 pandemic put all planning on pause temporarily, but the committee and the parks department were able to reconvene and put together a master plan, which was adopted in 2021.
Chad Shaw, superintendent of landscape and horticulture for the Parks and Recreation Department, explains the renovations would provide positive recreation opportunities for residents and visitors alike.
“A steering committee was formed, goals were established and the design was completed that would realize the aspirations of the neighborhood, including those that were established in the Packard 2030 Neighborhood Plan,” he said at the ceremony. “The team is now ready to make that vision a reality, helping to further serve our residents and visitors with positive recreation opportunities.”
Long-term projects like this one often start with no end in sight and those advocating are often unsure if the roadblocks will be unsurmountable. The dedication and perseverance of area residents to this project and the collaboration with the city are great examples of neighborhood investment and involvement in Fort Wayne.
Area resident Holly Munoz, who is also the president of the Packard Area Planning Alliance, says seeing the project finally start is surreal.
“It feels surreal when you are just a resident and late become a volunteer because of the thing that you want to see changed,” she says. “It feels like this was probably never going to happen and I don’t know what level of kismet had to come through to be it a reality and yeah, it’s happening. I can’t even wrap my brain around it.”
How it's funded: Funding a park overhaul like this one is no small feat. According to a press release by the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department, renovations will cost $1.9 million.
Munoz says in the beginning, they were doubtful the project would ever be able to secure enough funding to move forward.
A puzzle of funding sources eventually aligned, including funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which was given to the City of Fort Wayne, which opted to direct that money to city parks. The project also received financial support from Invest in Neighborhoods Now, which originated from the city but was given to Southwest Area Partnership, who in turn dedicated the funding to the Parkcard Park Redesign.
“I just want to say thank you to both of those entities for seeing the value of what parks bring back to our community and bring back to the neighborhood,” McDaniels said at the ceremony.
What they’re saying:
“Neighborhoods and parks are important to our community…What we’re doing today just continues to work and speak to the advancement of quality of life that we started many, many years ago. I am honored to be here today to turn dirt with you. I know the Packard Park and PAPAs neighborhoods are strong communities together, so we’re thankful to be able to be here with you and see some fun come to life for all the hard work that you’ve put in it.” -Mayor Sharon Tucker
“It took a lot of work to put together that funding steam….it doesn’t just come from one source, it comes from multiple sources. It’s the dedication of our community, our council, and our mayor making sure that we have those funding sources all lined up.” -Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Director Steve McDaniel
“I do think everyone’s really ready, so I think once we get our new baby it’ll be well cared for.” -President of the Packard Area Planning Alliance Holly Munoz
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