Water Tower Park

JPR, in collaboration with Hitchcock Design Group, was hired by the Michigan City Parks & Recreation Department to develop a dynamic Master Plan for Water Tower Park. The goal of the Plan was to design a destination park focused on inclusiveness and accessibility for everyone in the community. Serving several neighborhoods within the City, the idea of park improvements gained a lot of excitement from residents during public engagement sessions.

Development of the Master Plan encompassed the following elements:

• A 13 space off-street parking lot
• Traffic calming measures, including proposed raised speed tables and signs to create safer pedestrian crossings with the adjacent neighborhood
• Relocation of a full-size basketball court to a more visible section within the park, helping to deter unwanted after-hours activity
• Relocation of the existing playground structure to a more centralized area
• A framework for future expansion of the park that includes pickleball courts, expanded walking paths, and stormwater retention

Intentional steps were taken to broaden the accessibility and inclusiveness of the playground. One such step was the facilitation of a stakeholder meeting with special education teachers from the local school corporation, as well as representatives from the Social and Learning Institute. After gathering feedback from this meeting, the design team looked for ways to implement the information they received to offer a more inclusive park that provides access for those with physical and cognitive disabilities.

The playground was renovated with a series of ramps and additional play panels. Free-standing play equipment was added including a wheelchair accessible merry-go-round, wheelchair accessible glider, cozy cocoon, dual person slides, and a zipline. The existing walkway, connecting the east and west halves of the park, was also expanded to become an ADA accessible path.

The Master Plan was completed in early 2023. The design team is currently moving into the first phase of construction documents and will continue through construction administration, with construction anticipated to begin in early to mid-2024.

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