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Nathan DeYoung
Dr. Leo Huisman
English 103 Proposal (Portfolio Edition)
5 December 2014
Proposal of Change: Gazebo Park of Middletown, Indiana
It is quite common to see students, parents, and children in and around Middletown,
Indiana playing, socializing, and relaxing at the three parks in our town. With these choices,
citizens are left with the tough decision of which park to spend their time in. However, these
choices could easily be narrowed down after taking in consideration of how much fun time
you would actually receive from visiting one of the parks. The site of Gazebo Park is currently
barely used. However it is in need of desperate renovations and enhancements to make it more
functional, inviting, and family-orientated. Some of my proposed changes would entail the
addition of historical markers, benches, additional multi-use parking, and new landscaping.
Not going to Gazebo Park because of the unfriendly landscaping or side-walks, would not
be an isolated response for a resident of Middletown. Middletown has been around since 1829,
when it was first settled. The parks departments history is based on Harry F. Bud Dietrich
who was a part of Dietrich Chevrolet which was located on Locust Street where Hanna Auto
Body is today. He was very active in the community serving as Fire Chief, President of the
Chamber of Commerce, President of Farmers State Bank and President of the Henry County
Planning Board (The Middletown Parks Department).

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In November 1949, he purchased the land where the park now sits with the intention of
creating a community park. He, along with family and friends, worked to improve that old
pasture by removing fences, brush, and planting trees. In December 1951, he sold the land to the
Chamber of Commerce to be used as a town park. In 1955, the Chamber of Commerce donated
the land to the Town of
Middletown as a community park
(The Middletown Parks
Department).
Naturally, outdoor spaces
are used as public gathering places

Figure 1 - Gazebo Park as of September 2013 (SIO, NOAA).

for people of the community and guests visiting the town. Gazebo Park, Figure 1, is currently
situated at 557 E. Locust Street, in rural downtown Middletown. This park sits in front of the
Middletown Historical Society, and against the backside of the Harvest Supermarket. A twentyeight space parking lot runs adjacent to the eastside of the park and there are approximately five
pathways leading and connecting into the middle of the park. Today, stop and think about some
alternative changes that could come to this park and how it would make it more wholesome for
the community.
To begin the project, I would first remove the landscaping currently installed in the park,
which could be done by employees of Parks Department or an outside contractor. Removing the
landscaping would allow us the opportunity to reconfigure this outdoor space. Furthermore, the
existing walkways and rock features should be removed to allow for new, safe walkways to be
installed. This will help the town and parks department from being brought into new lawsuits in

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about the accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Accommodations would allow more
citizens in our community to utilize this town park.
Taking these factors in consideration, I find that the best solution for this park would be
to transform the current park into a modern, historical plaza. How can this be done? Well, I
would first start by gaining permission from the Middletown Historical Society, Civic Center,
Public Works, Town Council and Park Department in regards to
modifying the current parking lot to better accommodate the general
public. Many cities have had success with integrated parking
solutions. One idea, as seen in Figure 2, could serve as a new and
creative way for parking near this park. Integrating grass into the
Figure 2 - Stone pavers integrated
with sustainable greens, like grass,
could serve not only as a design
feature but as a low cost
maintenance solution to parking
(Griffith).

parking lot will not only decrease the necessary maintenance as

compared to traditional asphalt lots, but it also allows a person to
feel as though they have stepped into a well-designed and

welcoming facility. Pavers also have a longer life span than asphalt and also is much easier to
replace damaged sections of the lot if need be.
The second aspect of design, related to this proposal comes to the changes to the internal
design of Gazebo Park. The first major portion of the changes would come to the new layout of
the sidewalks which will lead to the centrally located gazebo. Curved walk ways with plenty of
seating will allow the guest to feel more welcome and relaxed. It has been proven that people are
more drawn to curved lines than straight lines in design. The seating in the park would remain
the same. In Loving Memory of benches would still be incorporated in a large sector of the
park including the addition of three benches. The second portion of this internal movement
would be the upgrades to existing art works and public displays. The mural on the back wall of

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Harvest Supermarket is currently peeling, and poses many risks not only personal life related but
also to a host of vandalism. Considering this next solution to combat this issue, adding a security
camera would deter any potential vandals. Removal of this mural and recondition the exposed
brick on the building would be of great benefit
to this park. This exposed brick would serve as a
canvas for new installation of historical markers
and a timeline feature to be installed on the
consent and advising of the Historical Society.
This timeline installation would be installed over

Figure 3 - A Historical Timeline installation, elegant, yet

serves a functioning piece of history education (Browning).

the exposed brick which would display our

towns history, a similar design of a timeline can be seen in Figure 3. Appropriate lighting would
be installed to ensure that this display would shed light onto the past for those who live in the
present.
Existing features of the park would also be included in this transformation. The existing
Gazebo would undergo some minor cosmetic reconstruction. Paint, lighting, electrical, and
sound are few key enhancements to this Gazebo. The bell tower, which houses the original
school bell from Middletown High School, will undergo lighting and historical marker
enhancements. Overall, landscaping inside the park would be family oriented with plants that are
allergy friendly, and do not require large amounts of maintenance. The addition of more
technology to the park will only allow it to become more useful for all community events. This
would include but is not limited to an audio and lighting system. In the end this will allow this
park to be used for more events. Weddings, parties, and even community outreach events could
easily be hosted there with the addition of these simple investments. The overall cost of this

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project is in complete detail in Appendix A. In a further breakdown cost for this project comes in
around $25, 253.98. The justification for the large cost is based mainly on good quality materials
and installation that will prove to last for years to come. For example, the LED/Solar Lighting
would cost nearly $10,650 for that including installation. The reason for choosing more premium
lighting is that LED has been proven to last up to 60,000 hours under normal circumstances.
Paint, mulch, grass, and pavers would be must have to ensure that the park environment become
more inviting. A $2,000 expendable charge is included in this budget to ensure coverage of
expenses and would be refunded if not used.
Once the necessary and clear benefits of this major transformation of Gazebo Park is
recognized by the citizens of Middletown. We will need to undergo strategic planning with you
to ensure this enhancement would be of benefit to Middletown. I would recommend the creation
of a committee to oversee the logistics and legalities of such a movement. Thus, would lead to
less strain and stress on yourselves, the Middletown Council Members. The committees main
task would be to compile the necessary information to make this project successful and also draw
decisions together that relate to the common goal.
Creating areas in a community that are inviting and functional are critical to growing the
community and its citizens. This project will allow our community to have a better, functional
space to entertain and relax. This historical plaza will allow the small town of Middletown to
complete that large void currently existing in our community. It is quite common to see students,
parents, and children in and around Middletown, Indiana playing, socializing, and relaxing at the
three parks in our town. With these choices, let Gazebo Park be the choice for the citizens to go.
I understand that this proposal may require money, time, and large efforts to get started, but the
benefits of these changes can only help engage and grow our small town community. Gazebo

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Park has potential, but we must detangle ourselves from this fury of potential setbacks and
arguments and look at the common good and welfare of our town. Gazebo Park can and will be
one of Middletowns and Indianas finest parks.

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Appendix A
Unit(s) Quantity

Product Description

Cost

Landscape Removal

72 hours

$1,152

LED/Solar Lighting

20 Fixtures

$10,650

Industrial Pavers

600 sq. ft.

$5,094

Sustainable Grass Seed

600 sq. ft.

$40.98

Various Perennials

200 Units

$2,000

Concert Labor/Installation

100 sq. ft.

$2,500

Paint

2 gallons

$175

Top Soil

150 yards

$264

Brown Dyed Mulch

90 yards

$124

Signage and Fixtures

14 unites

$1,524

General Labor/Expendables

--

$2,000 (Refundable)

TOTAL COST

$25,253.98

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Works Cited
Browning, Monica. A Design of the Past. 2011. Greensboro.
Griffith, Ashley. Styled Life. 2012. Dallas.
"The Middletown Parks Department." Middletown Indiana Official. Ed. Middletown Information
Technology. N.p., Jan.-Feb. 2011. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.middletownin.com/PARK/index.html>.
SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, and GEBCO. Gazebo Park. 2013. Google Earth, Middletown.
Comp. Google.