Plainfield to Assume Operations of Sodalis Nature Park
Photo courtesy of Hendricks County Parks
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowHendricks County Parks has announced operations of the Sodalis Nature Park have been released to the town of Plainfield. Sodalis Nature Park is named after the endangered Indiana bat, Myotis Sodalis, and consists of 3.5 miles of nature trails, picnic areas and a 5.5-acre pond.
The town purchased the park land with a larger 1,800 acre acquisition from the Indianapolis International Airport last year.
Hendricks County Parks developed the park in 2010 under a lease arrangement with the Indianapolis International Airport which was recently terminated.
As part of the deal, Plainfield compensated Hendricks County Parks for the updates it invested in since. Some of the updates include a park shelter, wildlife viewing platform and fishing pier on the lake.
The county says it will dedicate the funds to the development and construction of a new W.S. Gibbs Memorial Park.
“Our long-term vision for this land is to capitalize on the opportunity presented by the Sodalis Nature Park and provide additional recreational use by creating a larger regional park. We hope it can also be an opportunity to educate people about endangered species in Indiana and the methods for protecting them,” said Robin Brandgard, the Town of Plainfield Town Council President, in a news release.
Plainfield is also making an effort to conserve the land to benefit the endangered Indiana bats, in partnership with with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.