New experiences await this spring at Greater Lafayette parks

BY BRAD OPPENHEIM

It's spring, and many of us are champing at the bit to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. With that in mind, some exciting new projects and updates are taking shape throughout Greater Lafayette’s parks.

During your next visit to Lafayette’s Columbian Park Zoo, you’ll have a hard time missing the brand new 6,500-square-foot Commissary Building. Construction on the state-of-the-art facility wrapped up earlier this year and will pave the way for the zoo to continue providing high-quality care to its animals as new exhibits are constructed and new animal species make their debut in the Star City.

Lafayette Parks and Recreation

Superintendent Claudine Laufman says the new addition stems from a master plan developed many years ago, which serves as a critical role to the zoo.

“The beautiful new Commissary Building serves as the primary diet preparation area and feed storage space for the zoo,” Laufman says. “Our dedicated animal care staff has worked for years out of a small kitchen located in the Animal House building.”

Laufman says while the old kitchen was functional, it was no longer practical as the zoo continued to grow. The new building features a spacious area for food prep, state-of-the-art appliances, large walk-in fridge and freezers, extensive dry-food storage and indoor animal holding areas.

“The new kitchen alone is approximately 275 square feet — not including the walk-in fridge and freezer and additional dry-food storage space — compared to the former kitchen, which was about 85 square feet,” Laufman says.

While the building is not accessible to the general public, Laufman notes that its impact will still be evident to visitors over the next few years, leading to greater efficiencies in diet preparation and feed storage. “As we continue implementing the zoo’s original master plan with new animal exhibits in the future, the Commissary will continue to support the zoo’s growth and enable us to care for new species in a way that wasn’t available previously,” she explains.

As for financing of the new facility, Laufman says the majority of this project has been paid for through tax increment financing (TIF) along with additional private gifts facilitated through the Lafayette Parks Foundation, Inc.

“This is such a dramatic improvement to our existing facilities that we will be able to better support and serve our growing zoo as we continue to work on our master plan,” Laufman says. “The new building enables our animal care staff to operate more efficiently with enough room for staff, volunteers and interns to be working simultaneously in the same location. Having a food prep and storage facility of this caliber helps Colum- bian Park Zoo continue to provide high-quality care for its animal residents.” A dedication ceremony for the building was held in March.

New exhibits

Additionally, Laufman says the parks department is looking forward to wrapping up the design phase of its new primate and eagle exhibits.

“We are hopeful that the primate construction project will go out to bid early this summer with the goal of an early fall groundbreaking,” she says. “The eagle project is not far behind and we anticipate a similar timeline.”

The new primate exhibit will showcase four displays, featuring species such as spider monkeys, gibbons, lemurs and a fourth species yet to be decided. It also will include spacious indoor holding areas.

The current bald eagle exhibit was constructed more than 17 years ago, and the planned upgrade replaces that exhibit. Visitors will notice improved viewing opportunities and amenities.

“We are always excited to enhance the visitor experience while providing high-quality care of our animal residents at the zoo, and we know that our community is going to love these new additions,” says Laufman.

New in West Lafayette

On the other side of the Wabash, the West Lafayette Parks and Recreation Department is gearing up for exciting updates of its own, including the grand opening of Cason Family Park, marking the city’s 16th park and the newest to open since the 1980s.

Thanks to a generous donation of a 14-acre parcel of land from community member Lynn Cason, the regional park will occupy nearly 30 acres of retired farmland and old growth forest along Cumberland Road near U.S. 231.

“This effort not only preserves the iconic Morris Schoolhouse but also honors the dedication of community members like Sue Eiler, whose dedication was key in saving and restoring the beloved one-room schoolhouse,” says West Lafayette Parks and Recreation Superintendent Kathy Lozano. “Cason Family Park’s development reflects years of collaboration between city leaders, residents and advocates committed to protecting and celebrating West Lafayette’s green spaces and history.”

Some of the park’s amenities will include a 4.2-acre recreational pond, which offers an accessible fishing pier and kayak launch, playgrounds for children of all ages, the historic Morris Schoolhouse, which will be utilized as an outdoor classroom and interactive learning space, nearly 3.5 miles of paved and unpaved trails, and an event pavilion. The new trails within the park will connect to pre-existing trails along Cumberland Avenue and U.S. 231, and in the near future through the woods to the Celery Bog.

“Cason Family Park will be the first park in West Lafayette to offer water sports such as fishing, kayaking, canoeing and water boarding,” Lozano says. “It is also uniquely set up to offer entertainment on the lawn and educational field trips full of Indiana history.”

The public is invited to join the ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 22, where a variety of activities will be held, including a fishing derby, boating, music, food and more. Additional details will be available soon.

“This new gem in our parks system reflects a beautiful blend of nature, history and community spirit,” Lozano says.

After nearly four decades without a new park, Cason Family Park’s status as the city’s newest park is expected to be short lived, as Lozano says plans are already in the works to open the city’s 17th park. A name still has yet to be decided upon, but the park is slated to open sometime in 2025-26 near the intersection of Navajo and Salisbury streets.

At Lommel Park, a five-acre park in the Bar Barry Heights neighborhood, Lozano says there are plans to install an additional restroom. ★