The long awaited and highly anticipated opening of Prairie Creek Park came to fruition Saturday afternoon at the park located at 260 East Washington Street or right across the street from the Nickel Plate Flats apartment complex.
“This is an exciting day for Frankfort,” said Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets. “We’ve been waiting a long time for this to happen. Today, it did. It’s a beautiful park. I’m hoping the community takes advantage of this. They can come out and enjoy the summer and fall here. We have a lot of activities planned. I just things it’s such a great amenity for our citizens and for the community.”
Many former and current Frankfort City Council members attended the festivities as did Indiana State Senator Brian Buchanan.
“This is a great day for the city of Frankfort and the entire community,” said Buchanan. “It’s nice to see this park. I know it
has been a vision and a goal of the city for several years. It’s nice to see it come to fruition and actually happen. What a great step forward just for the overall quality of life, quality of place, for the people here. This is a great entity for folks to enjoy.”
The grand opening included live musical performances by Lloyd Avenue, The Warriors Kings and Endless Summer Band, who all performed on The Farmers Bank Performance Center Stage.
The park project began in January 2019 and was made possible through the generous sponsorship of numerous local businesses and individuals. The park includes a splash pad, event center, beer garden and amphitheater.
Goodwin Funeral Home Owner Bill Miller said Prairie Creek Park gives Frankfort something that other small communities doesn’t have.
“The city administration had some great forethought putting this together for our downtown,” said Miller. “We got rid of a couple of old buildings and we fixed up a couple of old buildings and it really enhanced the downtown. It cost a lot of money. But in the end, it’s worth it.”
Encompass Credit Union Chief Operating Officer Matt Lambert was asked his thoughts on the new facility.
“It’s fantastic,” he said. “Such a great addition to our downtown, to Frankfort, the whole community. It turned so much better than I dreamed it could. The park makes Frankfort a really unique and attractive community.”
Frankfort Main Street Executive Director Kim Stevens talks about how Prairie Creek Park came about.
“It started from a picture at a frisbee dog competition at the Hot Dog Festival,” said Stevens. “The discussion of we need to do something with this area because at the time when I went back to my office a few days later and I looked at the picture. The weeds were higher than my head and there was graffiti all over the parking garage. I said I can’t believe we’re inviting the community, the world to our front door and this is what we’re presenting them with.”
Stevens said she thinks the park will be a big hit for Frankfort.
“When you drive by the park and you see kids playing on the playground. That’s exactly what it’s here for,” she said. “It’s to bring the community together.”
Sheets added the park will be the site of concerts, and possibly, a circus along with the Hispanic Heritage Festival in September.
“I’m hoping people bring their lunches, work downtown, sit on a bench and spend their lunch hour here,” said Sheets.