Superintendent

**Dale Martin**

dmartin@hartfordcity.net

The Hartford City Parks Department was established in 1971 with the goal of providing healthy lifestyle facilities for local residents. It is governed by a 4 person, non-partisan Park Board which meets on the second Tuesday of each month at City Hall.

The parks system is officially open to the public in a season which typically runs from May 1st to October 31st of each year. The city’s parks are maintained by a staff consisting of 5 part-time summer employees and a full-time park Superintendent.

Some of these city parks contain shelter houses which are available for public rental throughout the season. There is a $25.00 rental fee for an open shelter and each contains picnic tables with adequate seating. Each enclosed shelter comes with a $50.00 rental fee and includes picnic tables, adequate seating, and kitchen facilities with stove (excluding Hoover Park) and refrigerator.

For more information about renting a shelter, Please contact the Water Utility Office at 765-348-0410.

Sigma Phi Gamma Park - Located on Richmond Street and Elm Street

Sigma Phi Gamma Park is located 3 blocks west of State Road 3/ Walnut Street and is bordered by Richmond and Elm Streets. This park honors five Hartford City women who founded the Alpha Chapter of the Sigma Phi Gamma sorority which aids the park board in its decisions and funding.

This park complex is twice the size of most other city parks at 12 acres of land. It features a variety of playground equipment, a separate “kiddie” park, an open and a closed shelter house with tables, restroom facilities, dual basketball courts, a corn hole court, and a permanent concession stand.

The girls’ softball leagues use the ball diamonds to host tournaments in the summer, while the football field hosts the youth football programs in the fall. Significant expansion and improvements have been made to both in recent years.

Memorial Pool Park - Located on Wabash Street off State Road 26

Memorial Pool and Park is situated 4 blocks west of State Road 26 along Wabash Avenue. The main pool features a curly slide, a diving board, a concession stand, lockers, showers, and restrooms. The pool complex is staffed by a part time pool manager and more than a dozen certified lifeguards.

North of the pool is a 6-acre park that contains an open shelter house, a playground with equipment, a volleyball pit, a gaga ball pit, a basketball court, and a large open meadow with mature trees.

Hartford City Memorial Pool is Open Monday through Saturday 12pm- 7pm and Sunday 1-6

Kings Park (Waterworks Park) - Located on South Monroe Street

Four pocket parks are located on 4.5 acres of partially shaded land on Hartford City's south side. This complex is located off State Road 3 just off of Hackney Street and is bordered by Jefferson and Monroe Streets. Comprising the southernmost portion of the property is King Park. Named for long time park superintendent William King, the facility includes an open shelter house, updated restrooms, playground equipment, and a new sidewalk while picnic tables are situated under mature shade trees. To the north is Waterworks Park featuring a basketball court and open grassy areas. To its east is popular Skate Park. Boarders, bikers and skaters take advantage of its rails, ramps and jumps. The westernmost section of the park contains a fenced section that houses 6 lighted horse shoe pits complete with benches and a drinking fountain.

Hoover Park -Located on Mill Street between Grant and Elm Streets

Hoover Park may be the oldest and most used park in town. Centrally located, the facility can be found 6 blocks east of S.R. 3 between Kickapoo and Grant Streets. The original iron arched entrance to this 2.5 acre park is located at the corner of Mill and Kickapoo Streets. This park includes young and mature shade trees, an enclosed shelter house, modern restroom facilities, a gazebo, and a variety of playground equipment. Hoover Park is also home to Oberholzer Court - a basketball court dedicated to the memory of Hal Oberholzer.

Wilderness Park & Bark Park - Located on Harrison Street

The Wilderness Park trail head is located at the intersection of Fulton and West Streets. A graveled driveway circles an open shelter house with picnic tables and modern restrooms. A stretching station is also located here. New sidewalks, landscaping and dedication benches lead to the “Bark Park,” a fenced-in enclosure where dogs can also enjoy nature. A water fountain for humans and one for their canine counterparts can be found here. The 50 acre Wilderness park tract contains a variety of nature and fitness trails that connect with the new Wilderness Prairie.

Wilderness Prairie

The Wilderness Prairie Restoration Project was completed in 2019. This 4 acre parcel adjoins the existing Wilderness Park trail system. In 2019, the parks board built a bridge between the two properties that are separated by a watershed. The bridge area, with its rustic timbers and brick pathway, also includes a bird blind accented by seasonal flower plantings and native Indiana trees. The trail head section of Wilderness Prairie is located along Amvets Drive near Pearl Street. It contains a gravel parking lot, wooden fencing, signage and a flagpole that overlooks rolling hills that have been restored with native Indiana grasses and flowers.

Veteran Gardens

This park is located one block east of State Road 3 / Walnut Street between Washington and Main Streets. Benches and a water fountain are bordered by new plantings of seasonal flowers and additional shrubbery in this quiet place of reflection that offers a full view of the county courthouse.

Blackford Youth Baseball Fields

The Blackford Youth Baseball Fields are situated near Memorial Pool along Harrison Street. Two fenced ball diamonds along with bleachers, an announcer stand, a scoring stand, a concession stand, a batting cage, and an open shelter with picnic tables make up the majority of this complex.