Parks and Trails
Dirty Jobs
Story by Jessica Spoor The alarm clock sounds, and many are off to work with the sun having already risen. But just before dawn when the sky is still dark and the streets are quiet, there’s work already being done: sidewalks are being swept, the stage is being set and the hum of a mower […]
Park People
story by JESSICA SPOOR As many Americans secluded themselves to their homes amid this historic worldwide pandemic, many have continued to set their alarms and head off to work. Celebrated essential workers have been the frontline faces as hospital workers, grocery clerks and daycare teachers; however, the invisible essential worker has risen to the surface. […]
Digital Detox
BACK TO BASICS: THE LOST ART OF BEING OUTSIDE Phone, keys, wallet. That’s the mantra when leaving the house for millions of Americans who are all connected to the ever-growing digital space. According to Pew Research Center in 2019, 81% of Americans own a smartphone. That means almost 300 million Americans have access to the […]
Skate-It-Forward at Howard Park
What exactly is Skate-it-Forward? Driven by equality among our residents, the Skate-it-Forward program is designed to make sure every resident has full access to our park amenities regardless of personal circumstances. The Skate-it-Forward program is a powerful initiative where every patron of Howard Park will be a changemaker by advancing these equity goals and provide access […]
A Changing Landscape
Boomer Introduced earlier this year, Boomer has reactivated neighborhood parks throughout South Bend. The impact of this program has seen a multitude of partnerships and neighborhood awareness. Over 2,500 people have attended a Boomer event so far, with more to follow throughout the upcoming months. Neighborhood Parks As part of the My SB Parks & […]
A Second Vision For South Bend’s First Park
The first of its kind in many respects, Howard Park is about to become one of South Bend’s most prized assets. Although this project is quite expansive – altering the entire landscape of the park – it’s not the first time this piece of land was transformed. Once South Bend’s trash dump and breeding ground for diseases like malaria in the summer […]
Reinventing South Bend’s Historic Spaces
An elaborate wrought-iron gate frames the entrance to City Cemetery at 211 Elm Street, where a newly poured parking lot sits in stark contrast to the property’s nearly 200-year-old threshold. Undergoing a multi-year redevelopment, City Cemetery is just one of South Bend’s many historic public spaces slated for revitalization, thanks to local community advocates and the city’s My South Bend Parks & Trails initiative. “After many years of not getting attention, the […]
Facilities and Grounds: Thinking Outside the Box
Picture this: litter on the street, overgrown grass, barren and broken parks. Our Facilities and Grounds team works hard to make sure this never happens. It’s easy to forget about the hard work that goes into making our city beautiful. When everything is running smoothly you don’t think about the alternative. The unsung heroes of […]
Wintertime Adventures at Rum Village
Come take a walk at Rum Village where quiet yet breathtaking adventures await you at every turn.
VPA Welcomes You to 2019
With everything we do, we keep in mind our mission to inspire a more livable South Bend for all, connecting us to emotionally engaging experiences and each other.
A Bark in the Park
A New Dog Park Will Benefit Pets and Owners
My South Bend Parks & Trails
South Bend has always been a city thriving on vision: vision that transformed the bend of a river into a center for trade, that pushed to be a leader in heavy industry, that sought to operate as a 21st century city and that positioned itself as a hotbed for technology and innovation.