After many years of neglect and disrepair, the City of Bellefontaine’s Harmon Park is soon to be sporting a brand new look.

Plans to update Harmon Park have been in the works for some time, but the heavy lifting that is part of the restoration process began in earnest this spring and has been making great strides since. 

And we’re not talking about a mere coat of paint and some grass seed. Harmon Park is getting the full body treatment to include a face lift, aroma therapy, a mani/pedi and stress management.

“We’re doing a complete rebuild, up from scorched earth to a whole new park experience,” said Rick Reed, Superintendent of the Bellefontaine Joint Recreation District. “We’re putting in a turf ball field for adapted rec and T-ball, a new basketball court, a splash pad, new playground equipment, a new restroom facility, and new sidewalks and curbing.

“There’s only a couple things that won’t be new and that’s a couple of trees and the old shelter house which they elected to keep.”

The new playground equipment was scheduled to be erected this week, and crews remain on site, pouring concrete, installing turf, and completing the dozens of other details that will bring Harmon Park, once finished, squarely in the middle of the 21st Century.

Reed said that, weather permitting, he expects Harmon Park to be open for visitors by mid-June.

He went on to say that the Bellefontaine Joint Recreation District is planning festivities at the opening of newly-refurbished Harmon Park once it is reopened for business, but program for the celebration is still in the works. Once the particulars are finalized for the grand re-opening, check back with the Logan County Chronicle for the details.