‘Appeal to the Great Spirit’: (Corner of Walnut Street and Granville Avenue, Muncie)Â A mini-park setting with a bronze equestrian monument, sculpted in 1929 by artist Cyrus Dallin. This memorial statue was presented to the city of Muncie by Bertha C. Ball in tribute to her husband, Edmund Burke Ball, who died in 1925. This monument historically serves as the city of Muncie’s symbolic trademark.
Aultshire Park: (South of Cromer and Watt avenues, Muncie)Â A neighborhood park located in the Aultshire subdivision. Amenities: playground, picnic shelter, basketball and bicycle/walking/jogging path.
Ball Corp. Park: (South Macedonia Avenue & East 17th Street, Muncie)Â A neighborhood park developed and owned by Ball Corp. now leased to the city. Amenities: picnic shelter, ball diamond, basketball, volleyball and bicycle/walking/jogging path.
Chambers Park: (East Manor Street between North Manhattan and North Claypool avenues, Muncie)Â This neighborhood park is governed by Center Township, a division of Delaware County government. Amenities: playground, open space, picnic shelter.
Cooley Park: (Corner of South Mock Avenue and East 23rd Street, Muncie)Â A neighborhood park on the south side. Three schools are within a one-half mile radius of the park. Amenities: playground, restrooms, ball diamond and basketball court.
Cowing Park: (North Pauline Avenue between West Waid Avenue and West Haines Drive, Muncie)Â A neighborhood park in the Cowing Park neighborhood. One school is located within a one-half mile radius of the park. Amenities: playground, tennis and basketball.
Emerson Memorial Greenspace Park: (Corner of Ashland and Pauline avenues, Muncie)Â This one-block parcel of greenspace is the site of the former Emerson Elementary School. The foundations of the old school still exist, giving this open-spaced turf area some interesting elevation contrasts. The space includes newly planted and mature trees surrounded by a low concrete wall. A brick wall bisects the site east to west with the reconstructed school entrance stairs remaining in the center leading to a park dedication plaque. Amenities: picnicking, open play area, seasonal nature displays and historic interest.
Gilbert Park: (Corner of East Gilbert and North Elm streets, Muncie) A mini neighborhood park on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Elm streets. Previously a vacant lot in one of Muncie’s historic districts, this park is a quiet addition to the surrounding Gilbert neighborhood. Amenities: playground and monument.
Guthrie Park: (Corner of West University Avenue and North Riley Road, Muncie)Â A mini neighborhood park that is committed by covenant to remain as an open greenspace, which is great for picnicking, meadow games (kite flying, ball throwing, etc.) Seasonal nature display, and pond. Amenities: open space and monument.
Heekin Park: (South Madison Street and East Memorial Drive, Muncie. Parks Department office, (765) 747-4858) One of Muncie’s largest and oldest parks. This recreational park is accessible to a large segment of the urban population. The area is covered with mature and newly planted, trees. This park is home to several cabins and shelters, and also houses the Parks and Recreation Department office. Amenities: playground, restrooms, ball diamond, basketball, tennis and horseshoe pits.
Jacks Park: (South of East McGalliard Road on North Elm Street, Muncie)Â A neighborhood park in the Granville Park subdivision within a mixed land use of residential and commercial properties. The southern half of this park is heavily wooded with mature trees. Amenities: playground, basketball and shuffleboard.
Mansfield Park: (2801 South Eaton Ave., Muncie)Â Basketball, playground, jogging trail, fishing, ball diamond, picnic shelter and open space. Easy access to Cardinal Greenway. Governed by Center Township.
Matthews Park: (North Janney and Harvard avenues, Muncie)Â A mini neighborhood park, undeveloped, dedicated to the city by the Northview subdivision developer. The site is an open grassy parcel of land with no amenities.
McCulloch Park: (North Martin Luther King Boulevard and East Centennial Avenue, Muncie) This is Muncie’s largest community park, developed on land donated by George McCulloch in 1892. The park is easily accessible to the entire community. Amenities: Disc golf course, playgrounds, soap box derby track, basketball courts, ball diamonds, picnic benches, picnic shelters and tables, grills, park lodge rental facility, restrooms and fishing/boating
Morningside Park: (Corner of East Cornell Avenue and North Muncie Creek Boulevard, Muncie)Â A mini neighborhood park in the Morningside subdivision. This park is the focus of neighborhood festivals and resident youth-related events and activities. Amenities: playground, basketball, picnic tables and picnic shelter.
Cantilevered Walkway: (Along North Wheeling Avenue between Minnetrista Boulevard and White River Boulevard, Muncie.)Â Overlooking the White River and incorporated as part of the Cardinal Greenway trails, whether walking, bike riding, or just taking in the views of the riverbend, dam and surrounding scenery this walkway is a most enjoyable experience for exercise, sightseeing or leisure strolls. This cantilevered walkway starts at the Fallen Heroes Memorial Bridge and meanders along North Wheeling Avenue, near the heart of downtown Muncie.
Muncie Fireman’s Park: (1112 S. Hoyt Ave., Muncie.) The Muncie Fireman’s Park is a monument to the firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty.
Muncie Policeman’s Park: (East Wysor and North Walnut streets, Muncie.) The Muncie Policeman’s Park is a monument dedicated to the officers who have fallen in the line of duty.
Prairie Creek Reservoir and Campground: (Five miles southeast of Muncie. Park office, (765) 747-4776) This beautiful attraction and park/campground setting is located approximately five miles southeast of Muncie, south of the White River. The reservoir and park area is made up of approximately 1,275 acres of water and 750 land acres, developed by the Muncie Water Works in 1954. The privately-owned water storage facility is leased to the Muncie Parks and Recreation Department on a long-term basis. Forty acres of the land have been dedicated as a wetland preserve. Water-related activities, boating, fishing, swimming and the campground facilities are the major focus of this park, which serves Muncie and Delaware County, as well as several surrounding counties. Amenities: seasonal campground, dock sand piers, boat launches, boating/fishing, beach/bath house, concessions, swimming, playground, picnic shelters, restrooms, basketball, volleyball, horseshoes and rental facility.
Riverbend Park: (High and Wysor streets, Muncie.)Â This mini park, dedicated in 1998, is a small parcel of land that contains an attractive statue designed by nationally recognized artist, Joe Beeler. The sculpture, titled Night Song, serves as a gateway to downtown Muncie and creates an attractive and relaxed greenspace atmosphere in the downtown area. The monument is surrounded by ornamental and columnar trees. Amenities: Open space provides seasonal nature displays, benches, and monument.
Riverview Park: (Corner of Bunch Boulevard and East Faulkner Drive, Muncie.)Â A neighborhood park serving a dense residential neighborhood along the White River area. Amenities: playground, ball diamond, basketball courts, picnic shelter/tables/benches.
Rose Park/Ross Center: (Corner of South Birch and West 10th streets, Muncie.)Â A neighborhood park that also houses a community center located in the Avondale neighborhood. The park and center are within a one-half-mile radius of three schools. The Ross Community Center is located on the southeast corner of the park. Park Amenities: playground, picnic shelter, shuffle board court, basketball court, restrooms and ball diamond. Center Amenities: meeting rooms, kitchen, small gymnasium, restrooms and rental facility.
Thomas Park: (South Rochester Avenue and West 15th Street, Muncie.)Â A neighborhood park in the southwest corner of the city. The flat terrain is sparsely covered with mature trees, and is the ideal setting for a fenced, lighted baseball diamond with dugouts and spectator bleachers. Other amenities: playground with log cabin, tennis, basketball, picnic shelter, fitness trail, restrooms.
Tuhey Park: (White River Boulevard and Wheeling Avenue, Muncie.) One of the city’s top park attractions due to its large swimming pool (renovated this summer), visibility and central location. It is easily accessible, located along the White River near the downtown business district, and also connects to the Ball State campus and surrounding neighborhoods. Amenities: large swimming pool with water slide, a new children’s wading pool, and concessions.
Washington Park: (Corner of South Pershing Drive and East Adams Street, Muncie.)Â A neighborhood park on the site of the former Washington Elementary School in the Emily Kimbrough Historical District. Two elementary schools are located within a one-half-mile radius of the park. Amenities: playground and lighted gathering place.
Westside Park: (White River Boulevard between South Tillotson and South Nichols avenues.)Westside Park’s historical roots go back to the development of a terminus for the trolley line during the early 1900s. Situated along the banks of the White River, the terrain slopes toward the river and is covered with many mature trees. The strongest influences in this park are its use for recreational activities and ball diamond. Amenities: playground, picnic shelters, restrooms, drinking fountain, shuffle board, ball diamond, basketball, model airplane controlled flight area, access to White River Greenway, fishing.
(Source: www.cityofmuncie.com)