The first phase of a multimillion-dollar project to provide upgrades at Westfield’s Simon Moon Park is expected to be finished by the end of 2024.
Westfield’s Parks and Recreation Department unveiled updated renderings of the project at 3044 E. 171st St. May 16, with an update on Phase 1 of the $6.8 million expansion of the park.
Construction for Phase 1 began in April and included reshaping the sledding hill and work on the parking lot.
Work to connect the former wastewater lagoons, which have been cleaned and converted into recreation and fishing ponds, to the surrounding stormwater infrastructure in the northwest corner will be completed by June 1. When that portion of the work is complete, the closed portion of the Midland Trace Trail around the park will be reopened. During the closure, work has also been done to realign the trail to provide pedestrians and bike riders with safer sight lines.
Fishing piers and boardwalks on the lagoons are expected to be complete by December.
Phase 2 of the expansion project is expected to begin in June 2025 and includes a new playground, outdoor education classroom, an additional park shelter and several additional boardwalks.
Expansion of the park was announced in February. Overall, Simon Moon expansion will include new facilities, a larger parking lot, an outdoor education classroom, fishing piers, boardwalks, an updated playground and a reengineered sledding hill to ensure children using the hill are landing further away from 171st Street.
The work is being completed by Norcon, Inc., of Indianapolis.
The park expansion, along with upgrades made to the neighboring Newby property, will be paid for via park impact fees — one-time fees assessed on new residential properties constructed within Westfield. The updates will not require taxpayer funds or bonds, according to the city.
The Simon Moon playground remains open during the project. City officials said the intention is to keep the park open and accessible to families as long as possible before the new equipment is ready to be installed.
The expansion includes the addition of 5.85 acres, increasing the total park size to more than 25 acres.
