2024

Ribbon is cut for McMillen Family Pavilion in Franke Park

400 Capacity Pavilion is Centerpiece of Renaissance Phase One   

Fort Wayne, Ind –Today Mayor Sharon Tucker, Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Director Steve McDaniel, Fort Wayne Park Foundation, elected officials, community leaders and neighborhood representatives dedicated the new McMillen Family Pavilion in Franke Park.

The ribbon cutting follows five years of planning and fundraising with stakeholder groups made up of neighbors, BMX, mountain bikers and users of the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, Foellinger Theatre and Franke Park day campers. 

What’s Happening in the Parks

The week ahead

Fort Wayne, Ind. – The following events and programs are happening the week ahead:

Featuring:

Holiday Showcase Exhibit: Gnome for the Holidays

November 23 – January 5, public hours

Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, 1100 South Calhoun Street

There’s no place like Gnome for the holidays. This year, the Botanical Conservatory’s seasonal exhibit celebrates the festive culture of holiday homecoming with a whimsical twist. Imaginative displays will warm the hearts of visitors and offer themed opportunities to capture treasured family photos. Cozy accents will tie together a heartfelt display featuring a mythical poinsettia tree along with large fresh cut evergreens and playful touches. Gnome is where the garden is this holiday season. Sponsored by: Air Xray, PNC Charitable Trusts, English Bonter Mitchell Foundation, Wilson Foundation, Fort Wayne Park Foundation, PBS Fort Wayne and Majic 95.1.

Fort Wayne, Ind – Fort Wayne, Ind –Mayor Sharon Tucker, Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Director Steve McDaniel, community leaders, funding partners and neighborhood representatives celebrated the first steps of a reconceived master plan with a ground-breaking ceremony for the renovations of Packard Park.

The ground breaking follows five years of Park planning and public input from the highly engaged surrounding neighborhoods. This $1.9 million project is supported with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and an Investing in Neighborhoods Now grant (INN) by the City of Fort Wayne on behalf of the Southwest Area Partnership. In addition, the renovations to Packard Park were one of the goals in the Packard 2030 Neighborhood Plan.   

New Goshen Road Entrance Opens to Franke Park

Includes new bridge over Spy Run Creek, multi-use trails   

Fort Wayne, Ind – Today Mayor Sharon Tucker, Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Director Steve McDaniel, community leaders, funding partners along with Indiana Department of Natural Resources (INDR) and Great Lakes Commission representatives celebrated the grand new entrance to Franke Park with a ribbon cutting.

The ceremony highlights the major outdoor improvements for phase one of the Franke Park Renaissance Plan and features:

• A new winding, tree-lined entrance from Goshen Road.
• A new bridge over Spy Run Creek.
• Paved, multi-use trail, thoughtful vehicular circulation and connection to residential neighborhoods in the southwest corner of the park.
• Improvements to the mountain bike and hiking trails.