An iconic park in the heart of downtown Greenwood is a finalist for a design award.
Greenwood’s Old City Park was named a finalist for the Indy Chamber’s 44th annual Monumental Awards, which recognizes excellence in the Indianapolis region’s building environment, on Wednesday. The park is one of three areas nominated in the Landscape Architecture category, according to a news release.
For the Monumental Awards, nine local organizations reviewed submissions in several categories, including architecture, construction, engineering, innovative reuse, interior design, landscape architecture, neighborhood revitalization, public art and real estate development. The Old City Park project was submitted by Rundell Ernstberger Associates, according to the news release.
“We are honored to be considered for the Monumental Award,” said Rob Taggart, Greenwood’s parks and recreation director.
Old City Park reopened last October after a two-year-long, $5 million renovation that modernized the park. A brightly colored and inviting playground is the park’s centerpiece.
The playground features a 23-foot-tall cube tower for climbing in the center. The tower, designed by Texas-based KOMPAN, was the first of its kind in Indiana, and one of just three in the country.
Surrounding the tower is a playscape — with a climbing net and wall, foosball tables and cornhole — designed to encourage co‐play between children and parents. The play equipment are distanced to allow space for safe and socially distanced play.
The park also features a unique playscape, allowing visitors to experience the park from several different levels. Sections of the playscape are concrete or grass, with areas separated by slopes, hills or steps. Custom-designed urban porch swings were incorporated into the design as well, positioned to observe the playscape and overlook Pleasant Creek.
Old City Park was reimagined to fit how children play outside today and helps them develop social skills, Taggart said in 2020. The park is also ecologically designed with native and exotic plants surrounding it.
The winners of this year’s Monumental Awards will be announced during a movie premiere Sept. 29 at Tibb’s Drive-In Theater, 480 South Tibbs Avenue, Indianapolis. Tickets are available online at indychamber.com/events.
The top honorees in each category will be eligible for the Monumental Award, which is the evening’s highest honor. Old City Park is also eligible to win the People’s Choice Award, the news release said.
