S
witchyard Park
Switchyard Park, a 65-acre former railroad switchyard on the city’s south side, was imagined over decades and developed over years as a destination park. Officially opened in 2019, the park includes amenities that appeal to a variety of active and passive park users, and features landscaping and facilities that focus on green initiatives.
COVID-19 impacts on Switchyard Park were felt primarily through restrictions on crowd sizes that forced the cancellation of weddings, trade shows, musical performances and corporate events scheduled in Switchyard Park and its 11,000 ft2 Pavilion.
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The final pieces of play equipment and poured-in-place safety surfacing were installed at the Switchyard Park playground in February. The playground was closed during the installation, and remained closed through June 12 as a safety precaution to limit the spread of COVID-19. The Switchyard Park Pavilion boasts a ‘green roof ’ (a portion of the roof is covered with vegetation) consisting of non-native, low-growing sedums planted in a special soil blend approximately four inches deep. The green roof is dependent on rainwater. Green roofs help cool buildings, and absorb rainwater. All 39 raised garden beds at the Switchyard Park Community Gardens were rented for the 2020 growing season. The spray pad at the Community Foundation Switchyard Plaza opened June 30. The spray pad is a system of nearly 90 nozzles and misters that spray water into the air. The spray pad is an accessible facility that gives visitors of all abilities an opportunity to interact with the water, which is treated in a closed, chlorinated system. The Switchyard Park dog park opened August 28, with two fenced areas separated for large and small dogs. The large dog area is approximately 3.5 acres; the small dog area is about 2.5 acres. The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra presented the very first concert to be held on the main performance stage in the heart of the park with a concert on August 23.
16 2020 Bloomington Parks and Recreation Annual Report
