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.
The new rentable, enclosed state-of-the-art pavilion features:
- 6,000 square foot great hall with capacity for 400 people.
- 2,000 square foot lobby featuring vaulted wood ceiling, walls and structure with stone accents and artwork by local artists Paul Demaree and Jeremy Stroup.
- Universally accessible features including a family restroom equipped with adjustable adult-sized changing table.
- Warming kitchen that connects to both the event hall and lobby.
- Exterior fireplace on west patio.
- Parking for pavilion.
The new open-air shelter to the west of the McMillen Family Pavilion is available on a first come first serve basis.
“A new pavilion for our community to enjoy is another example of the commitment of our Parks and Recreation Department to meeting the needs of the public,” said Mayor Tucker. “Franke Park is a jewel in our city and it’s vital for us to continue to make investments that will have a lasting impact. Residents and visitors of all ages and abilities have unique opportunities at Franke Park to enjoy recreational activities and gatherings with friends. We’re sending a strong message that quality of life amenities are a top priority for our growing and successful city.”
“We celebrate the McMillen Family Pavilion today. It is our largest pavilion and it’s located in our largest park,” observes Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Director Steve McDaniel. “Public-private partnerships like this with the Fort Wayne Park Foundation can take a good plan to that next level of high-quality design and development to offer more opportunities for our citizens for years to come. This park in particular is so rich with significant cultural and ecological resources and deserves a pavilion such as this to fulfill its potential.”
"I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the legacy of Fort Wayne's effective and visionary parks department," said John McMillen, Secretary of the Fort Wayne Park Foundation. "The McMillen Foundation is proud to lend our support to this community-driven project and we are especially pleased to see how beautifully the project fits in with the surrounding natural landscape."
The entire $22.9 million Franke Park Renaissance Plan phase one includes the new pavilion and shelter, the winding, tree-lined entrance from Goshen Road, bridge over Spy Run Creek and new and improved trails and is supported with donations from the Fort Wayne Park Foundation, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the City of Fort Wayne as well as bonding and Capital Improvement Project funds.
The McMillen Family Pavilion at Franke Park can be reserved now for rentals in 2025 through Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation.
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