June 18 is a big day for our community when we’ll celebrate the grand openings of Depot Street Park and Michael’s Playground, the city’s first inclusive play area. The City of Greenfield and the Greenfield Parks Department welcome you to attend these fun events with free activities for the whole family! Although some local projects were delayed due to the COVID pandemic, we are proud to celebrate these new city upgrades, made possible through our Indiana Stellar Health and Heritage Region grant funding.

Depot Street Park Grand Opening

The fun starts at noon on June 18, with free activities for all ages at Depot Street Park. Our newest park is located just west of downtown at 251 Depot St, Greenfield. Take in the completed 1.3-acre park and its amenities and enjoy giveaways, face painting, a balloon twister and a free hot dog lunch provided by our partners at Hancock Health (while supplies last). These free activities will continue until the official Grand Opening Ceremony at 2:30 p.m.

After the ceremony, the kick-off to the Greenfield Summer Concert Series, “Live @ the Rails” will begin at 3 p.m. Our first concert headliners are Full Tilt, playing from 3-5 p.m., Project 19 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and Stella Luna from 8-10 p.m. Come back to Depot Street Park through the summer for more summer concerts, including Thunderstruck on July 16, No Fences on Aug. 20 and Pink Droyd on Sept. 17, each playing 8-10 p.m.

Depot Street Park Michael's Playground

Michael’s Playground Grand Opening

Also taking place on June 18 is the grand opening of Michael’s Playground, Greenfield’s very first inclusive playground. This special playground is located at 1414 W. McClarnon Drive, Greenfield, just southwest of Greenfield Central Jr. High School in the Greenfield Baseball Park. A free hot dog lunch, face painting, music and playground play will begin at 12:30 p.m., which remarks and a ribbon-cutting at 1 p.m.

Michael’s Playground is named in memory of the grandson of our current mayor, Chuck Fewell. Michael passed away with a rare genetic disorder, Hunter’s Syndrome, and was an inspiration to anyone who had the pleasure of meeting him. This inclusive playground features safety swings for children of all abilities, wheelchair ramps, and sensory stimulation such as musical instruments and roller-bar slides. And parents will enjoy the nearby shaded benches, picnic shelter and ample parking.

Michael's Playground

Benefits of these city updates

These Depot Street Park and Michael’s Playground upgrades to the community of Greenfield offer a number of new benefits to our residents and visitors alike. The double-sided concert venue at Depot Street Park will be an amazing new location for community events, and will also bring additional business to nearby restaurants such as Libby’s Ice Cream and The Depot, which is the first true grain elevator restoration in the state. This spot was a part of everyday life for many families who lived in historic Greenfield and our newest park serves as a symbol to honor our city’s agricultural roots.

The inclusive Michael’s Playground also brings new opportunities for local families and marks a place for children of all abilities to play together. The mission of our Parks and Recreation Department is to “be the stewards of the open space, greenways, trails and park land in Greenfield and to serve its citizens” and this playground marks another great step toward that goal. 

The Stellar Communities Program is a multi-year, multi-million dollar investment initiative led by OCRA. The program works with self-selected regions on their vision for community and economic development, promotes local and regional partnerships and assists in implementing innovative solutions to challenges facing Indiana’s rural communities.

The Health and Heritage Region is a collaboration between citizens, non-profit organizations and municipalities is reshaping the future of Hancock County. The region, comprised of the City of Greenfield, Town of Fortville and Hancock County leadership, is focused on promoting and cultivating the health, heritage, and heart of our area. To follow our projects and learn more about us, visit our Facebook page or our website healthandheritage.com