The future 6.4-acre park will be just west of the White River in the area bordered by Ind. 19, Conner Street/Ind. 32, and Nixon and Logan streets will no longer be known as West Gateway Park. On July 31, Mayor John Ditslear and members of the parks department unveiled the new name – Federal Hill Park.
“Since the area of Noblesville where the park will be located has been known as Federal Hill since the 1800s, the name was chosen to reflect the history and heritage of that area of the city,” Ditslear said.
The location also has a sentimental part in Ditslear’s life.
“I had an office in the old school (Federal Hill Elementary) before I became mayor,” he said. “Maps in the ’60s/’70s have Federal Hill as the west side of Noblesville. “It’s (the parks) at the historic base of the hill.”
Deputy Mayor Mike Hendricks, who is overseeing the project, said the name provides recognition to Old Town Noblesville.
“The first school building in Noblesville was Federal Hill. All the history we’re trying to put into the park, you just can’t think of anything better,” he said. “It’s a perfect fit.”
The City of Noblesville and the Noblesville Parks Department sponsored a contest from June 26 through July 24 which invited people to submit names for the city’s newest park. More than 300 entries were received for the contest.
“They really came out in droves,” Ditslear said.
“We never intended to have West Gateway Park be the name. It’s one we knew we wanted public input,” City Spokeswoman Cara Culp said, adding this was the first time the city has gone to the public for naming assistance. “We thought it would be a great way to get community feedback. The park is for the community and for them to feel a part of it the first step is inviting participation to name the park.”
Contest rules stated that each entry would be date and time stamped so that if more than one person submitted the name that was selected, then the person who first submitted the entry would be the winner. Six entries were submitted for the winning name, and Noblesville resident Joyce Scott was the first to turn in the suggestion for Federal Hill Park.
“I lived at Federal Hill, went to Federal Hill School and love Noblesville,” she said. “It’s very exciting, we need that park.”
Scott said she saw the naming contest in a previous edition of Current in Noblesville.
“As soon as I saw it I knew it would be Federal Hill,” said Scott, who has lived in Noblesville for all 67 years of her life. “I want my grandkids to always remember that.”
Courtesy of Klipsch Music Center, Scott received two tickets to any concert for the remainder of this season. She plans to use the tickets to see Miranda Lambert on Aug. 16.
A panel of five city and parks officials will review the suggestions and select one.
“We were looking for the right name, no indentifying of the naming person,” said Ditslear, who served on the selection committee.
Plans are still being finalized for the park design. Culp said West Gateway Park will have its groundbreaking ceremony next spring. The park is expected to open in spring 2016.
