Greater Lafayette is known for its diversity, and that doesn’t stop short when it comes to the plethora of places to worship around the community. Are you in search of somewhere to worship? Greater Lafayette has more than 100 places to choose from, suiting a wide array of different beliefs.

While the graphic above highlights just some of the many worship centers in Greater Lafayette, you can find a full list at https://www.homeofpurdue.com/plan/our-community/religion/?view=grid&sort=qualityScore&filter_subcats%5B0%5D=473&filter_subcats%5B1%5D=445

It’s been a week since we posted our blog highlighting some of Lafayette’s parks and what they have to offer. Unfortunately, the winter weather hasn’t budged much since. The ground is still covered in snow and it’s still bitter cold. But the good news is that we’re a week closer to spring!

This week, you guessed it, we’re heading west of the river and highlighting some of West Lafayette’s parks. On the homepage of its website, West Lafayette touts itself as “home to beautiful parks and miles of scenic walking and bike trails.” And we’re going to have to agree with that!

Just like its twin city, West Lafayette has much to offer when it comes to outdoor recreation!

1) Cumberland Park
3101 North Salisbury Street

Located on West Lafayette’s north end, Cumberland Park consists of 62 acres, 16 of which make up the Michaud-Sinninger Woods Nature Preserve and 14 of which make up the open turf/soccer area. If you’re looking to enjoy a peaceful walk or run, the park offers a half mile footpath. And for the sports fanatics, Cumberland Park is also home to two lighted softball fields, two basketball courts, and the Pony League Baseball field.

2) George E. Lommel Park
2832 Wilshire Avenue

Located in the Bar Barry Heights neighborhood, this five-acre park has so much to offer! Some of its features include picnic tables, a play field, a shelter, grill, playground, and a Little Free Library. The park was originally acquired from the Purdue Research Foundation during the development of the subdivision.

3) Happy Hollow Park
1301 Happy Hollow Road

Nestled between North Salisbury Street and Happy Hollow Road, Happy Hollow Park is fairly large 81 acres to be exact. Calling all hikers! The Trolley Line Trail offers a one-mile paved path of beautiful scenery. In addition, there is also one mile of Footpaths including the Salisbury Street, Garden, and Rose Street Trails. Other amenities include picnic tables, multiple shelters, a volleyball court, grills, and a playground.

4) Wabash Heritage Trail Side Park
North River Road & Quincey Street

Located just to the west of the Wabash River and north of the Harrison Street Bridge on North River Road, this 14-acre park includes an eight-acre pond that sits off of the Wabash Heritage Trail. If you need a break while hiking along the trail, this is a great stopping point!

5) Lincoln Park
255 Lincoln Street

This small, half-acre park is located in the New Chauncey neighborhood. If you’re out taking a stroll, this park makes for the perfect place to let the kids enjoy the playground while you sit back and relax. Or if you’re looking for a pleasant spot to have a picnic, this park is calling your name!

6) Trailhead Park
1485 West 350 North #1373

West Lafayette is home to the 8.5-mile Northwest Greenway Trail, which holds designation as a National Recreation Trail. Being part of the National Trail System, it is a main feature in the network of parks and open space that it passes through. If you find yourself on the trail and need to take a break, Trailhead Park consists of four acres and contains a picnic shelter.

7) Tapawingo Park
100 Tapawingo Drive

Located along the banks of the Wabash River, this 20-acre park is home to more than a mile of the Wabash Heritage Trail, the Myers Pedestrian Bridge Plaza, Brown Street Overlook, and the Riverside Skating Center. The park opened in 1973 after Sears Roebuck and Co. donated about five acres of riverfront property to honor one of their founders and Lafayette native, Alvah Curtis Roebuck.

8) Celery Bog Nature Area/Lilly Nature Center
1620 Lindberg Road

Sitting on 195 acres, the Celery Bog Nature Center is home to the Lilly Nature Center, 4.3 miles of paved Cattail Trail, and a 1.5-mile Footpath with interpretive signs and two viewing docks. Nearly half of the nature area is a wetland, providing diverse natural settings and a plethora of wildlife.

The Lilly Nature Center offers free environmental education programs and can also be rented out.

9) Paula R. Woods Park
309 Lawn Avenue

Developed in 1988, this small, half-acre park is located in the heart of the New Chauncey neighborhood. Paula R. Woods was an active member of parks and recreation in the community and served on the West Lafayette Parks And Recreation Board for 14 years. The parks amenities include a shelter, grill, picnic tables, and a playground.

10) Tommy Johnston Neighborhood Park
Wood Street & Chauncey Street

Located directly to the south of the Purdue University campus, this .6-acre park includes a shelter, grills, a basketball court, exercise area, and picnic tables – the perfect setting for an enjoyable day outside! Tommy Johnston worked for Purdue for 45 years and served as president of the West Lafayette Parks and Recreation Board, serving for a total of 20 years.

The city of West Lafayette is also home to a series of trails, connecting the community with the city and all it has to offer. According to the city, there is nearly 27 miles of paved trails.

• Cattail Trail (6.80 miles)
• Northwest Greenway Trail (8.43 miles)
• Wabash Heritage Trail (4.28 miles)
• Village Fitness Trail (1.86 miles)
• Nighthawk Trail (.50 miles)
• Westway Trail (6.90 miles)

For more information about West Lafayette trails, visit https://www.westlafayette.in.gov/topic/subtopic.php?topicid=79&structureid=16#nw

Below is a map that displays where each park is located.

Letitia Quast-Wilson is a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) and Board-Certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) at Indiana University Health Arnett in Lafayette and West Lafayette. She has been a CNM/WHNP for seven years, prior to that she worked as a Labor/Delivery/Pediatric Nurse. 

What kind of services do you have to offer?

I provide health services to women during their teenage years throughout their childbearing years, although WHNP’s/CNM’s can provide menopausal care also. The services I provide include annual health check-ups, birth control prescriptions, preconception planning, prenatal care, intrapartum care, and postpartum care. 

How often should someone pay a visit?

Women should see their midwife yearly if they are not pregnant. Prenatal care visits occur every four weeks starting at 10-12 weeks’ gestation until 28 weeks, every two weeks between 28-36 weeks, and then weekly until delivery. Women can also see a midwife for sexual health testing or other women’s health related issues as needed throughout the year.  

How do you define wellness?

I define wellness as a person achieving their best health state. 

What benefits does someone get from utilizing your services?

I provide individualized, compassionate, and evidence-based care to the women I serve. I truly believe it is important for women to be as involved in their care as possible, I want them to know they have a voice, and it is my goal to work with them to achieve their healthcare goals. I believe it is very important for women to have time for self-care and strongly encourage them to set a self-care goal for themselves to do every day. Life can be very busy, and It is hard to care for others without setting time aside to care for yourself.  

For someone who may be on the fence about visiting or scheduling an appointment, how would you encourage them to give it a try?

I encourage women to research the provider they are considering; it is so important to be able to openly communicate and trust the person caring for you. I recommend they start by talking to their friends, co-workers, and family about providers they trust in the area and then interviewing providers before making their decision. It is a great idea to have questions to bring when meeting a potential new provider to make sure their goals are the same as yours. 

Yes, it may be hard to even entertain the thought of doing anything outdoors right now, but we’re more than halfway through winter and warmer temperatures will be here before you know it. For the outdoor enthusiast, Greater Lafayette has plenty to offer, including its many parks. Whether you’re looking to hit the trails, start a pick-up basketball game, or jump in the pool, there’s something for everyone!

As we inch closer and closer to spring, we’ve highlighted ten parks in Lafayette and the amenities they have to offer.

1) Columbian Park
1915 Scott Street

Columbian Park has been a staple in the Greater Lafayette community for more than a century. The park, just a few minutes east of downtown Lafayette, sits on more than 40 acres. Along with playing host to many events throughout the year (when we’re not in a pandemic), the park offers a plethora of amenities and attractions such as the Columbian Park Zoo, several playgrounds, a lagoon, a ride-on train, the Tropicanoe Cove Aquatic Center, the brand-new Loeb Stadium and so much more! If you’re looking for a day full of endless fun with the kids, Columbian Park is calling your name!

2) Murdock Park
2100 Cason Street

Located in the heart of Lafayette, Murdock Park is home to 39 acres of unoccupied urban forest. For those with curious minds, a half-mile interpretive trail allows visitors to identify more than three dozen varieties of trees along the way. And a fan favorite during the winter months is the sledding run, giving a thrill to both kids and adults. Don’t have a sled? Looking for something to help warm you up? No worries! The newly established “Katy’s Cabin” provides sled rentals, hot chocolate, and plenty of other concessions. And when there’s no snow on the ground, the park is also home to playgrounds, an 18-hole disc golf course, basketball courts, grills, and picnic areas.

3) Armstrong Park
821 Beck Lane

Located on Lafayette’s south end, Armstrong Park sits on 30 acres. A popular attraction at the park is Castaway Bay, a beach-like aquatic center. For those looking to book the aquatic center to themselves, private rentals are available. And for those looking to enjoy nature, the Armstrong Trail winds around the park’s pond and offers a sense of relaxation.

4) Linwood Park
1501 Greenbush Street

Located near the former Linwood Elementary School, this half acre park may be small, but it includes a brand-new playground, basketball court, and picnic shelter, perfect for an outing with friends and family!

5) Shamrock Dog Park
115 Sanford Street

Does your furry friend need to get their “zooms” out? This 11-acre park is Lafayette’s very first dog park! Located in the Wabash Avenue neighborhood, the park borders up to the banks of the Wabash River. A Dog Park Pass is required for entry and can be purchased at Buckles Feed Depot on South 4th Street. For more information about the dog park, visit https://www.dogparkinlafayette.com/membership.html

But you don’t necessarily need to bring along your pup to enjoy the park. The park also offers a small boat ramp, providing access to the river. Fishing is permitted but remember to follow the rules. If you’re looking to host an event, there is a shelter with seating for up to 50 people, available for rental.

6) McCaw Park
3745 Union Street

This 26-acre park sits on Lafayette’s east side, offering a state-of-the-art playground that features slides, climbing areas, swings, and monkey bars. And for the pickleball enthusiast, the park offers 12 lighted pickleball courts. If you’re looking to host an event, there are two shelters available for rental.

7) Munger Park
3505 Greenbush Street

This 32-acre park located on Lafayette’s northeast end has a ton to offer! The park has a one-mile paved trail that is surrounded by plentiful open space. The trail curves around the park’s pond. Fishing is permitted, but keep in mind that all state regulations do apply. If you’re looking to host an event, the park offers a shelter that seats up to 100 people.

8) CAT Park
3630 McCarty Lane

After the City of Lafayette teamed up with Caterpillar, Inc., the 32-acre CAT Park and soccer fields came to fruition. Just to the south of Caterpillar’s South Street facility, the park includes eight soccer fields and a concession building.

9) McAllister Park
Golfview Drive & North 9th Street

Sitting on 280 acres, McAllister Park is located along the banks of the Wabash River, containing plenty of green space, two disc golf courses, a portion of the Wabash Heritage Trail, and interestingly enough, a model airplane strip! A bike path that runs along North 9th street connects the city with the park.

10) Lyboult Sports Park
1300 Canal Road

Nestled just to the north of the Harrison Street Bridge connecting Lafayette and West Lafayette, this 52-acre park is the sports lover’s haven. Home to softball fields, basketball courts, horseshoes, picnic areas, portions of the Wabash Heritage Trail, and a sand volleyball court.

Rachel started her career with The Russell Company back in 2003. She has received many awards and designations as well as having served on the Lafayette Board of Realtors and Habitat for Humanity. 

Rachel and her family enjoy traveling, hiking, and are avid foodies. She has been to 18 nations for missions and for leisure. She grew up in Naperville, IL where her father was a realtor for 30 years then opened an appraisal business and is now retired. She was strategically transplanted here in 2002 by way of an internship. She met her husband of 13 years at church just as he began his career as a critical care nurse at St. Elizabeth hospital. 

“I’ve always had a passion for real estate. I don’t sell homes, I facilitate the sale to prospective home buyers and sellers so that they may partake in the great American Dream. One of true freedom and ownership in something so much bigger than us. There’s no better time to make that happen!” 

Along with serving her buyer and seller clients, Rachel is now helping with transactions once an offer has been accepted. She is focusing her attention on maintaining rock solid communication with our clients and agents, as they prepare to close on their new property. Rachel is a very detailed oriented person, which is the perfect type of person to have in this position. 

Get in touch with Rachel today at 765-404-2299.