Commentary by Don Seal
For 80 years, whenever one mentioned a park in Noblesville everyone knew that park would be Forest Park. Then in 2007 the Noblesville Parks and Recreation Dept. dedicated a second major recreational area, Dr. James A. Dillon Park, at 6001 Edenshall Lane. The land for Dillon was the end result of negotiations between the city and developers of the Noble West Development. The development was largest in the history of Noblesville and the 77.5-acre Dillon Park is the second largest in the park system.
The park is named for Dr. James A. Dillon, a member of the Noblesville Parks and Recreation Board for more than 30 years. In that capacity he was the moving force behind the development of Fox Prairie Golf Course. He also served as team doctor to all the Noblesville High School athletic teams for more than 40 years.
Dillon is a total “city” park with three athletic fields, a playground, “spray ground,” shelters, a skate park, concession stand, comfort stations, a maintenance building, an 18-hole disk golf course and an events lawn. The design and landscaping of Dillon has won awards for the Indiana Parks and Recreation Association and the Indiana Chapter of the Association of Landscape Architects.
Dillon has become home of the Noblesville Elementary Football League and Noblesville Youth Lacrosse. In addition, the park hosts regular disk golf tournaments hosted by the Hamilton County Disk Golf Association and special events such as the Kiwanis Elementary School fun run and several other runs throughout the year.
Perhaps the most popular neighborhood event at Dillon is the summer concert series. This year’s series kicked off last week and will continue for the next four weeks. The Noblesville Parks Foundation will be present at all of the concerts this summer to discuss its purposes and goals.
If you love good live music at a great venue the Noblesville Summer Concert series at Dr. James A. Dillon Park is just your cup of tea.
Don Seal is a board member of the Noblesville Parks Foundation and former director of the Noblesville Parks Dept. For more information on the parks foundation, visit www.cityofnoblesville.org/parks.
