Photo compliments of Fred VanFossen

Lakeside Park
1401 Lake Avenue & Vermont

HISTORY

June 9, 2006

Mayor Dedicates Lakeside Sunken Gardens Fort Wayne, IN: Mayor Graham Richard, with City officials and Parks and Recreation representatives, dedicated the newly-reconstructed Sunken Gardens at Lakeside Park today.

"Reconstruction of this historic park feature has been anxiously awaited by the many admirers of Lakeside Park," said Mayor Richard. "With the dedication of this historic park, we can offer our citizens a beautiful respite to visit and enjoy."Restoration of Lakeside Park’s sunken garden was a primary recommendation from a Cultural Landscape study. We directed CEDIT funds of more than $586,000 to satisfy the total project cost," said Richard.The original sunken garden design was created by Parks Superintendent Adolf Jaenicke by 1920. In his own words, the area "was a depression of about six feet deep and … was used as a dump by the neighborhood." Jaenicke had been experimenting with the idea of a rose garden, which was considered difficult in this area because of our harsh winters. But he found the clay of Indiana was ideal for the roses. The completed rose garden, elevated above a sunken garden with reflecting ponds, was finished in the early 1920’s and has brought many thousands of visitors to Lakeside Park.

Reconstruction began on the sunken gardens in August, 2005. All of the hardscape elements (concrete) in the garden area were removed; specifically the retaining walls, stairs, sidewalks and reflecting ponds were replaced. Old postcards of the original structure showed the paths were composed of an orange material – probably crushed clay. So the current sidewalks have brick pavers to simulate more closely the original design."In keeping with historic photos, we rebuilt the pergola to conform to the original design," said Director Al Moll, Parks and Recreation. "Visitors will notice additional improvements, including more lighting for evening visits to the garden and a fabulous bronze fountain on the north retaining wall. The original cement lion’s head fountain did not weather well, and it required reconstruction by Lloyd Cooper and was cast in bronze by Frank Bougher."

The project’s landscape architect firm was the Landplan Group, and the construction firm was Clounie Landscaping, Inc. The total cost was $586,526.75. Lakeside was named a National Rose Garden in 1928, an honor it still holds today. As such, it is nationally renowned and people from all over the country think it is a "must see." It currently holds more than 2,000 rose plants with at least 150 varieties.

Posted above is a video of the Lakeside Park Rose Garden

RENTAL FACILITIES

If you are interested in renting the Rose Garden for an event, it is available in two hour increments and costs $50.  Rent NOW

There are also two pavilions available at Lakeside Park for rent. Rent NOW

LAKESIDE PARK & ROSE GARDEN AMENITIES

Lakeside Park provides 25.8 acres to enjoy such activities as: basketball, fishing, ice skating, picnicking, playgrounds, trails, and tennis courts besides finding scenic spots for taking photos or simply relaxing and enjoying the day!

Check out the Garden Brochure which includes additional information about this park as well as outstanding photos.

Johnny Appleseed Park

Size in acres: 31

Since 1973

Johnny Appleseed Park is located off Coliseum Boulevard at Harry Baals Drive.  For more detailed location information, check out the

General Park Map,or the Johnny Appleseed Park Map.

History: This park is named in honor of grower, wandering missionary, and friend to all who knew him, John Chapman, a man known throughout national folklore as Johnny Appleseed.  Johnny's modest final resting place can be found atop a natural mound, the last resident of what was once the Archer Family Cemetery.

Read more about local history including  Johnny Appleseed by Randy Harter, Fort Wayne Reader.

WHAT TO DO

Scroll down for more information about our park features:

Boating, Sailing and Fishing



A boat ramp, approved by the Department of Natural Resources, gives you and your family endless opportunities to find the biggest catch of the St. Joseph River during your campground stay.

Camping



One of Johnny Appleseed Park's most beloved features is its famous campground which has 41 RV/Camper sites. For more information about Johnny Appleseed Campground features and camping fees, click here.

Camp Canine

A $ 40.00 annual dog membership pass can be purchased at the Parks and Recreation Main Office and is valid at Camp Canine located in Johnny Appleseed Park and Pawster Park located in Foster Park West. Dog owners must show proof of rabies, distemper, and parvo vaccinations to obtain a pass.

Read more about Camp Canine

Picnicking

Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the day down by the St. Joseph River. Picnic tables are provided on the river side of the park by the playground equipment.

Playgrounds

The playground at Johnny Appleseed Park features a variety of activities sure to please any child.

Rivergreenway

Johnny Appleseed Park marks one of the key starting points of the Rivergreenway on the northeast side of town. Get started today on walking, hiking or biking on this 24-mile linear path that extends all the way to Tillman Park.

Johnny Appleseed Festival

The Johnny Appleseed Festival is always held the third full weekend of September in Johnny Appleseed Park. You will not want to miss this fabulous Fall Festival. Read more about the Johnny Appleseed Festival here. 

Kreager Park

Size in acres: 218.75

Since 1966

Kreager Park is located on North River Road, Fort Wayne, IN. For more detailed location information, check out the General Park Map, or Kreager Park Map.

Hours of operation:

Kreager Park is open from 6 am-11 pm daily.

History:Kreager Park was formerly known as the Seyfert Farm property (an old potato farm) which was purchased with Land & Water Conservation fund monies in 1967 and included 110 acres of land.  An additional 62 acres were acquired in 1992 in an exchange with Allen County for land from Johnny Appleseed Park. At that time the park was known as Maumee Park. 

A $5 million dollar donation from Gale Kreager transformed the former potato farm into a park complete with lighted ball diamonds, soccer fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, restrooms and an open air pavilion.  The name of the park was then changed to Kreager Park in 1994.

Then later, in 1997, an additional 51 acre farm field south of North River Road was donated to the Parks & Recreation Department by Mr. Thomas and Debra Meyer which brought the acreage up to just over 218 acres.

On June 10, 2011 Taylor's Dream:Boundless Playground had its grand opening.

Today Kreager Park provides a wide variety of recreational amenities.  Check out the information below.

WHAT TO DO

Scroll down for more information about our park features:

 Softball Fields

 

Four lighted softball fields are located at Kreager Park. To rent a softball field, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Taylor's Dream: Boundless Playground

The playground, which includes a splash pad, features three circular pods and activity areas on changing elevations, with connecting accessible ramps. In addition to the swings and climbing opportunities, a Boundless Playground provides activities that have been carefully planned for therapeutic and learning purposes.
To find out more see the Boundless Playground page!

Incoming Playground

Interested in the Playground Refresh Schedule and a listing of the 10 playgrounds being replaced this spring? 

The goal is to have the 10 playgrounds refreshed by the end of the School Year!   

Check out the Engage Fort Wayne link to learn more about  the Kreager Park playground project!

On the east side of the park lies a playground central to the many soccer fields, the outdoor fitness area and picnic shelter. New play equipment is planned for this playground in Spring of 2024.

Designing this playground is fully inspired by the fitness theme of the entire park. Every kid loves a good obstacle course and even better if you can pretend like the surrounding floor is hot lava or water and no one wants to fall off from that obstacle course. The Three towers with net and bridge fills that multiple ways to enter/exit and encourages children to be active, physically and socially. The net bridge provides a connection between play activities and encourages movement. It also provides a challenge along with the opportunity for children to assess risk and feel the sense of accomplishment when they work toward mastering the physical activities. While navigating the nets, children work on their cross-coordination skills both important for physical and cognitive development. Sliding down the slides supports posture and balance. The multiple ground level accessible play panel activities evoke exploration and wonder. These are designed to support cognitive skills as well as emotional awareness in play.

Outdoor Fitness Equipment

With 20 different units, the Kreager outdoor fitness equipment offers the community the chance to stay active without worrying about a price.

Be sure to check out Klub Kreager Fitness if you're interested in future programs, and please let us know your preferences by taking the Fitness Survey.  

Soccer

The soccer fields are all lit with state of the art athletic lighting.

Natural Open Spaces

Kreager Park is surrounded by open fields and forested areas. Many kite enthusiasts find the perfect area for a little flying on a windy day. Check out the trail in the park or for a longer hike, hop on the Rivergreenway and head either to New Haven or into Fort Wayne.

Tennis Courts



Eight tennis courts are open to the public on a first come, first served basis or can be reserved by calling Daryn at 260.427.6003.

Rivergreenway

The Kreager Park section of the Rivergreenway contains a loop, (.95 miles). This section connects to the east end of the greenway along the Maumee River, and runs into New Haven.

A map of the Kreager Park Walking Trails is now available.

Indian Village Park 

Size in acres: 10

Since 1930

Indian Village Park is located at 1701 Bluffton Road. For more detailed location information, check out the General Park Map or the Park Map.  

History

The riverbank and park strip tracts were transferred to the city in 1930.  In 1929 the Board built a footbridge between Foster Park and land to be known as Indian Village Park. 

The site was once the home of the Allen County Orphan’s Home and one of the brick buildings may be associated with that endeavor.

Sears Roebuck and Company offered to build the pavilion that is located in Indian Village Park for the city in the early 1940's with the understanding that the city would assume control and maintenance of the building after construction. Today that pavilion is known as Sears Pavilion.  For a period of time, part of the pavilion was rented as an apartment.

WHAT TO DO

Scroll down for more information about our park features:

Natural Open Space 

The natural space at Indian Village Park provides plenty of opportunity for you to enjoy your favorite summer activities, whether it's playing frisbee or flying a kite.

Picnicking

Several picnic tables are scattered throughout the park under shaded areas for you to enjoy.

Playground

The playground at Indian Village Park includes a swing set, a rock climbing area and 3 slides that are fun for any child.

Rivergreenway



Indian Village Park is just one stop on the 24-mile Rivergreenway trail. Enjoy a brisk bike ride, walk or jog on the Rivergreenway and stop by the park. Then when you are ready, continue your journey by accessing the bridge to cross into adjoining Foster Park.

Sears Pavilion

Sears Pavilion, Indian Village Park's very own pavilion, is available to rent for your next birthday party, meeting, reunion, you name it! For more information, check out the Pavilion page.