Crawfordsville, IN

Brickyard Park

The former site of the Crawfordsville Shale Brick Company, Brickyard Nature Park is a 104-acre property that the City wanted to make more accessible to the public for active and passive recreation opportunities such as walking, biking, hiking, nature viewing, and picnicking.

HWC worked closely with local leadership and an active, local mountain biking group to develop improvements for the park. Elements include a new entrance and trailhead with a parking lot, shade shelter, picnic tables, bike racks, seating, and trail map. A 1.1-mile walking path was established as well as 2.2-miles of bike trails. Additionally, an accessible, paved loop trail was installed to make the park more inclusive. To reduce conflict between use type, a clear signage system was created so trail users understand which trails are designated for hiking versus biking.

With a moderate budget of $500,000, HWC was able to accomplish all of the City’s goals for the project. The once best kept secret in Crawfordsville has now become an active park amenity that is open to the public year round.