Proposed Changes for Historic Indiana Park Include Addition of Pickleball, Dog Park + More

Since 1936, Burdette Park has been a favorite spot for Indiana families to enjoy leisure time outdoors and 2023 could be the year that new life is breathed into this Tristate tradition.

Updates for 2023

Proposed updates for Evansville's Burdette Park are plentiful and according to a post on Facebook from Evansville 411 News, the timeline for the updates varies by project and ranges from May to October 2023.

Each opening timeframe is dependent on funding being approved from the County Council / Board of Park Commissioners, ordering and construction timelines. Additional details will be released at a later date!

What to Expect

To say the plans for the redevelopment of Burdette Park are massive would be an understatement. Not only does the park intend to add two new play areas to the grounds, but the plans also include the addition of both tennis and pickleball courts, as well as a new dog park.

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Playgrounds

The first of the proposed playground areas would be built on 5,500 square feet of ground that sits on the west side of the park and is currently part of the campground area. Completion for this part of the project is forecasted for June. The second playground area would be built on the grounds that were once home to Oasis Putt Putt Golf at Burdette Park and would occupy 7,200 square feet of land right off the main access road to the park.

Burdette Bark

Burdette Bark would be the first ever dedicated space for dogs at Burdette Park and would occupy 8,500 square feet of land off the main access road as you enter the property from Nurrenburn. The dog park would include staples like hurdles, a tunnel, ramps, and more. Completion of the dog park is planned for May. Perhaps the most special part of the dog park would be the memorial fence, according to the proposal.

Patrons interested in participating in the memorial would be encouraged to partner with Burdette Park staff. A small, personalized dog tag would be ordered through the Main Office and permanently attached to the dog park’s perimeter fence by a member of park staff. The owner of the memorialized pet would then receive a certificate to finalize the process, noting a few details of their dog as well as the donor. From start to finish, the entire process would cost roughly $25.00, the proceeds from which potentially going to the Vanderburgh Humane Society.

 

Tennis & Pickleball Courts

As pickleball continues to gain popularity across the country, it only makes sense that the new plans for outdoor recreation at Burdette Park would also include tennis and pickleball courts. The current tennis courts were put into place in the 1970s and the last resurfacing took place over twenty years ago in 1999. There is a great deal of damage that would need to be repaired to make the current courts playable, and the proposal calls for turning two of the four existing courts into dedicated pickleball courts. This project has a proposed completion date of May.

Burdette Pool

The proposal for Burdette Park does not make any mention of plans for the pool which is a seasonal favorite of just about everyone who visits. However, according to the Facebook page for Burdette Park, the pool will once again be open in 2023 as they are currently hiring and training for lifeguards for the 2023 season.

[Souce: Burdette Park Recreational Proposal]