The Johnson County Park will soon get updates at the campground, horse park and amphitheater.
Waylon O’Donnell | Daily Journal
Big changes are coming to Johnson County Park in the next two years.
The upgrades will include a new park office and camp store, an additional barn for Hoosier Horse Park and an upgrade to the amphitheater on the property.
The new park office and camp store will be located directly west of the restrooms on the north end of the property and will feature camping essentials such as drinks, food items, laundry detergent, t-shirts, charcoal and lighter fluid, said Kevin Leonard, superintendent of Johnson County Parks and Recreation.
“The camp store would be a brand new amenity that we have never had,” Leonard said. “I know a lot of campgrounds that have a camp store to sell basic campground items, so it will be a great addition for us.”
The facility will be easily visible from School House Road, he said.
Johnson County Commissioner Brian Baird said that the camp store will be a great addition to the park. The store will allow campers to get essentials without having to leave the property. Products for sale will cover camping basics at first and then they will add additional wares as needs arise, he said.
A new office area for the park’s onsite staff will be connected to the store.
“I have been here for just over seven years and I honestly thought a new office was a dream,” Leonard said. “I didn’t think it would be something that could happen. There are five of us who work in the office. Our current setup is pieced together in an old building that was built during World War II.”
The camp store will initially be maintained by the office staff and will be accessible to campers by foot and golf cart
The project is expected to begin once the winter weather subsides with hopes to complete it sometime during the summer, Baird said. A total of $1.6 million has been budgeted for the project through a General Obligation Bond that is expected to close in December. The bond doesn’t require any increase in taxes.
In addition to the camp store and office, a new barn will be built at Hoosier Horse Park. The property currently has nearly 400 horse stalls, while the barn will add 80 more to meet the heavy demand for stalls, said Leonard. This will greatly increase the park’s upcoming show capabilities, he said.
Johnson County Park is widely known for their horse shows, hosting events even during the winter months with the recently enclosed Baker Arena.
“We are now bringing in more horse shows,” said Baird. “Because we are running out of stall areas, the barn will provide some extra room, or at least temporary stalls to use when these horse shows happen.”
Baird said that the exact size of the barn is yet to be determined, but the commissioners have budgeted $531,000 for the work within the bond.
The park’s amphitheater will also be updated in the coming years. Renovations will include enclosing the structure, improving the stage and adding storage and a greenroom area, said Leonard. This will allow the park to host concerts and also rent out the facility for things like award banquets and dinners year round.
He expects to see the projects fully completed between 2025 and 2026.
“We have a whole list of improvements that are going to happen out there in the next two and a half years,” said Baird. “That park has been capable of doing things like this for years, but nobody ever looked at it. We were probably in a better position years ago to do what we are doing today, but nobody thought about it. That is a little gem down there, and it is a hidden gem. There is a lot of room for improvement. It is one of the best places for families to go in Johnson County, and we were ignoring it.
“That’s just not going to happen anymore.”
Leonard also said that the 2024 camping season will also bring 10 new campsites added to Hoosier Horse Park as well as eleven additional campsites added to the main campground.
