Crown Point readies Bulldog Park for its official opening

One year after putting shovels in the ground for the new Bulldog Park, Crown Point officials are ready to cut the ribbon on the multimillion dollar recreation and event space.

The celebration at the 2½-acre site along West Street next to Col. John Wheeler Middle School begins at 5:45 p.m. May 31 on the amphitheater stage with the ribbon cutting by Mayor David Uran and other officials followed by a live music performance from 6-10 p.m. by the band Breaking Dawn.

On June 1, the park will host its first Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

A tree planting and other Arbor Day activities will begin at 10 a.m.

The festival continues at 4 p.m. with food, music and beverages in the kids area followed by performances at the amphitheater by Positive Vibe Technicians and Dirt Born.

The new park’s amenities include a two-story multifunction event center, an Olympic-sized ice rink, splash pads in addition to the amphitheater for concerts and theater performances.

Plans for Bulldog Park have been a few years in the making but moved quickly after the city acquired the property in 2017 from the Crown Point Community School Corp.

Councilman Andrew Kyres, D-3rd, and president of the Redevelopment Commission, said they are elated to see the Bulldog Park project come to fruition.

“It is a wonderful enhancement for Crown Point and a project that all of our residents and visitors will be able to enjoy,” he said. “This undertaking is a result of a hard-working and successful collaboration between and among our mayor, department heads, city staff, City Council, Redevelopment Commission, and the Barbara & Dean White Foundation.

The park’s ice rink made its debut Dec. 22 when hundreds of skaters came out to enjoy the winter amenity.

It was also when Uran announced that Franciscan Alliance would sponsor Bulldog Park at $100,000 for 10 years in what amounts to a $1 million partnership.

One of the uses of the park’s event center will be for senior activities that are moving from the old civic defense building downtown.

Uran said senior citizens programming will move to the center on June 3.

Uran is also holding his next “Tuesday Talks” at 6 p.m. June 4 at Bulldog Park.

The weekend after the grand opening will mark the debut of the city’s popular corn roast at Bulldog Park.