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Riley Shelter House Groundbreaking
March 1 @ 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Greenfield, IN – Greenfield Parks & Recreation along with the City of Greenfield plan a groundbreaking ceremony for the rebuilding of the Riley Park Shelter House. The original Shelter house tragically burned down on December 28, 2022. The building was deemed a total loss and was demolished in early 2023.
The Riley Park Shelter House has a rich history. It was constructed in 1937 and dedicated to Greenfield native and poet, James Whitcomb Riley. It was a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project and as such, was in part built to help unemployed people get back to work during the Great Depression. Since its construction, the Shelter House served as a meeting space for community events, programs, and private rentals. It is operated by the Greenfield Parks and Recreation Department and sees hundreds of rentals each year.
On March 1st, 2024, Greenfield Parks will break ground on the new Shelter House. It is being financially supported by the City of Greenfield and its agents. The new structure will strongly resemble the building it once was and will even contain some original materials that were salvaged from the ashes of the fire.
The groundbreaking will be Friday May 1st at 2:00pm.
