The final touches are being put on the overhauled Howard Park. The city is throwing it a big ‘welcome back’ party on Friday with art, fireworks, food and celebrity guests.
“It’s critical that cities have places like this where we can come together and celebrate milestones, celebrate large occasions," Aaron Perri, director of Venues, Parks and Arts for South Bend said. "A place to show off to visitors when they come to town and see what South Bend’s all about.”
The new park features indoor and outdoor event spaces, an accessible playground, open prairie spaces, firepits, and an ice trail and ice pond.
“You’ll wind your way around a 14 foot path that goes uphill and downhill, little inclines and declines," Perri explained. "The only place in the world you’ll skate over a bridge and end up back at the ice pond.”
In the summer the ice rink comes down and becomes a sidewalk around the playground.
Friday’s event starts at 4:30 p.m. with a ribbon cutting at 6 p.m..