Hamilton County Parks and Recreation

Looking for a fun and impactful way to showcase your business? We're offering exclusive sponsorship opportunities for our upcoming, highly anticipated Cool Creek Summer Concert Series! Don't miss out on this chance to get your business in front of thousands of music fans! ?? Reach out to Erica Foreman at [email protected] for more information!

Koteewi Aerial Adventures is looking to hire a site manager to oversee operations at the park. This is a seasonal (February- November) full time exempt position paying $1,600 Bi-weekly. If you are looking to continue to the next step of your aerial adventure industry career or know someone who does we encourage you to apply, or to encourage someone you know to apply through our website’s career page.

Happy Holidays from Hamilton County Parks and Recreation! From all of us at HCPR, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season!

Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Department had the honor of accepting the Phyllis Yuhas Wildlife Habitat Award earlier this month presented from the Robert Cooper Audubon Society. This distinction is given to recognize the development or preservation of habitat that contains significant wildlife and native plant life populations. Robert Cooper Audubon serves East-Central Indiana including our neighboring county of Madison. The award mentioned specifically Strawtown Koteewi Park’s 800 acre conservation efforts which the group has visited through field trips several times. Cliff Swallows, Eastern Meadowlarks, Dickcissels, and numerous species of warblers are a few of the bird species the group have enjoyed while visiting the park. Cool Creek Park and Nature Center was also acknowledged by the organization. HCPR is proud of Robert Cooper Audubon Society’s Phyllis Yuhas Wildlife Habitat Award and congratulate the other award winners recognized by the society.

This #GivingTuesday, support the parks! Your contribution to Hamilton County Parks is one of the best ways to give back to your community. With your support, you will be helping to preserve and protect Hamilton County's natural and cultural heritage for the enjoyment of this and future generations. Your support provides the Parks Department with the funds for the refurbishment, maintenance and new development of our parks. Every little bit helps! Donate here: https://lnkd.in/gFrRwrrd

Hamilton County Parks and Recreation is honored to bring Y12SR to our community. Y12SR is a 12-step based discussion and yoga practice open to anyone and everyone dealing with their own addictive behavior or affected by the addictive behavior of others. This is an open and inclusive group, all A’s are welcome. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gKUVbEHr

Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Department proudly received the Clark Ketchum Conservation Award at the annual Indiana Park and Recreation Association (IPRA) conference. This prestigious honor recognizes outstanding achievement in conservation stewardship. HCPR earned the award for its transformative work on HC Farms, a 107-acre property in Westfield, Indiana, that showcases the department’s commitment to preserving natural resources and creating exceptional recreational opportunities to the community. When it opens to the public in 2025, HC Farms will feature 2.5 miles of trails, including ADA-accessible routes, allowing visitors to explore prairies, wetlands, and old-growth forests. The project’s success lies not only in its environmental impact but also in its community focus, creating a space for education, recreation, and connection to nature. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gd3K9_BH

Thank you to these Girl Scouts and their parents for helping improve the environmental health of Cool Creek Park as they planted native trees and plants in areas where invasive honeysuckle was recently removed. Their efforts will help stabilize the bank in addition to helping our native insects, birds and wildlife and we are so appreciative.

?FUN FACT FRIDAY? Beginning in late fall, Box Turtles find an underground burrow of loose soil up to two feet deep. The soil helps insulate the turtle but does not completely protect against freezing temperatures. Sugars inside their bodies, which have been accumulating for weeks, collect in their vital organs. These sugars act as antifreeze, protecting the most critical bodily functions. The water inside the body collects in other areas, like the legs and chest, and will freeze. Scientists determined that over 50% of the turtle can completely freeze for three days and still survive. Thawing begins as temperatures begin to increase. Eastern Box Turtles are a "Species of Special Concern" in Indiana. Collecting them from the wild is illegal in Indiana. Every box turtle in the wild is critical to their survival. Photo Credit: Jackie Curts

Thank you to these outstanding volunteers from Guerin Catholic High School who helped remove invasive honeysuckle from Cool Creek on Oct. 22!? They helped make a noticeable difference and we really appreciate their efforts.