There is no county park-recreation board or department, but the Bluffton Parks
& Recreation Department operations include various facilities that are available
for use of people outside the city as well as within Bluffton. The Bluffton Parks
& Recreation Department has a property tax rate from which Bluffton taxpayers
fund the needs, although there are some revenues for part of the costs in the
form of swimming pool admissions fees and some special program charges.
Also, Ossian has a park board and facilities, and other towns and localities of
Wells County have community-type parks.
BLUFFTON PARKS & RECREATION
Pam Vanderkolk is the Bluffton Park & Recreation Director. The phone number
for this office in City Hall, 128 East Market St., is 824-6069.
The following parks and facilities are in the Bluffton Parks system:
Jefferson Park is approximately 2.1 acres in size, located in the southeast portion
of Bluffton off Townley and Bennett Streets. Facilities include a playground,
the T-Ball diamond, the Junior League baseball diamond, a batting cage, a press
box and a concession stand/restrooms building. The Junior League is for 10 and
11 year-olds in the boys’ program, although at times there has been a girl
participant. T-Ball is for ages 6, 7 and 8, boys and girls.
Kehoe Park is about 2 acres in size and located in the central part of Bluffton
along the Wabash River, just west of the Ind. 1N-Ind. 124 juncture. Facilities
include a lighted amphitheater (outdoor theatre), a pavilion (gazebo) with picnic
tables and a restrooms building. This is the site of the summer concert series
under the creative Arts Center leadership.
Lions Park is approximately 5.5 acres in the west central part of Bluffton, off
Midway and Washington Streets, Facilities include playground, a pavilion with
picnic tables and grill, a mini-soccer field, 2 lighted basketball courts, 3 lighted
tennis courts, 2 restroom facilities, a maintenance office building with storage,
a T-Ball diamond, a lighted softball diamond and a concession stand. Also, there
is a fenced-in, paved area designated as a skateboarding, rollerblading and rollerskating
area across Cherry Street on Midway Street. Church, Men’s and Co-ed Softball
Leagues use the softball field at Lions Park, which used to be Wilson Field through
the years that it was the football field for the high school. T-Ball League (ages
6, 7 and 8, boys and girls) use the T-Ball diamond.
Rotary Park is between 1 and 2 acres in size. This park is part of the Rivergreenway
Trail corridor off the River Road along the Wabash River in the east part of Bluffton.
Facilities include a pavilion with picnic tables, a paved parking lot and access
to the Rivergreenway Trail.
Rivergreenway Trail Corridor is a paved walking and bicycling trail starting at
the east end of East Wabash Street, in the heart of Bluffton, and then running
southeast on the banks of the Wabash River on River Road to the White Bridge,
a distance of 2 1/4 miles. The state has extended the trail eastward from the
bridge, connecting it into Ouabache State Park, where it links into an extensive
park trail. The total trail from Bluffton to and through much of the state park
is close to 5 miles. Future plans are to continue the Rivergreenway Trail westward
to Markle. Rivergreenway Trail features include a boating access site in the east
end of the trail near the White Bridge, a replica historic covered bridge and
designated parking lots along the trail. No horses or motorized vehicles are allowed
on the trail.
Triangle Park is at the junction of Wayne Street and Washington Street. It is
a grass lot where children play -- including baseball, football and soccer.
Roush Park is about 8 acres in size and located in the southwest part of Bluffton,
off the Indiana Street-Clark Avenue intersection. Facilities include playground
equipment, 2 lighted baseball diamonds, 2 lighted softball diamonds, picnic areas,
2 pavilions (a small one with picnic tables and a larger one used for roller hockey),
restroom facilities, a storage building. press boxes at the ball diamonds, batting
cages, concession stand and 2 basketball courts. The Farm League (9 and 10-year-old
boys) and Teen League (13 and 14-year-old boys) use the two baseball diamonds.
Junior Girls League (ages 9-12) and Senior Girls League (ages 13-16) use the two
softball diamonds. There is also a Women’s Slow-Pitch League for 18 years
and above.
Veterans Memorial Park is in the southeast part of Bluffton at the corner of Main
and Arnold Streets. This park features memorial gardens, walkways, a gazebo and
park benches. It is the scene of official tributes to those who have served in
the nation’s defense.
Washington Park is approximately 2.6 acres in size in the southeast part of Bluffton,
off Ohio, Mulberry, Arnold and Bennett Streets. Facilities include playground
equipment, 2 8-foot basketball goals and 2 lighted 10-foot basketball goals; restroom
facilities; 2 lighted pavilions with picnic tables (one enclosed pavilion and
one open, both are available for rentals), a volleyball grass court, 2 shuffleboard
courts, and picnic areas with grills. Also, there are 3 lighted tennis courts
across Mulberry Street from Washington Park.
Wabash River Park is located at the beginning (west end) of the Rivergreenway
Trail Corridor and is about 1/2-acre in size. Facilities included are picnic tables,
benches and a gazebo.
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