July 10, 2023 - Today Mayor Tom Henry, Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Director Steve McDaniel, community representatives and additional public officials dedicated the new paved pedestrian trail and picnic shelter at Buckner Park in southwest Fort Wayne.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony highlighted some of Buckner Park’s unique geographical areas including grass prairies, wetland, stream crossings, woodlands and vistas. This ¾ mile trail to the new picnic shelter will wind through these areas and offer bench seating made from recycled materials at scenic spots.
“The enhancements that have been made at Buckner Park are outstanding. By providing additional amenities like the ones at Buckner, the public is better able to have a rewarding and memorable experience. We’re fortunate to have outstanding parks for our residents and visitors to enjoy,” said Mayor Henry.
“This new trail is a part of the master plan for this park,” said Parks and Recreation Director Steve McDaniel. He continued, “by connecting area residents to the Bass Road trails we affirm the popularity of multi-use trials in our city. We anticipate this trail will rival the Salomon Farm Park trail loop—currently our busiest trail, in number of counts per day.”
A portion of the funding for this project was provided by the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) with the assistance of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The LWCF is intended to create and maintain a nationwide legacy of high-quality recreation areas and facilities and to stimulate non-federal investments in the protection and maintenance of recreation resources across the United States.
“The IDNR is pleased to participate in projects like the Buckner Park Trail,” said IDNR representative Nathaniel Simmons. “These initiatives are important to preserving the natural treasures in our communities while creating more opportunities for individuals to explore and enjoy the benefits of our state’s natural resources.”
For more information about the Master Plan for Buckner Park, visit https://www.fortwayneparks.org/images/PDF/Planning/Compiled_Master_Plan-7-10-06_optimized.pdf.
If you would like to be involved in the process, visit www.FortWayneParks.org and click on Support Our Parks.