Lou Dennis Community Park

Parks

402 Park Drive

Lou Dennis Community Park is a 11.66 acre park located on Park Drive off of Jefferson Street.

The park includes the Fortress of Fun, two tennis courts, a basketball court, a sand volleyball court, a soccer field, two outdoor ping pong tables, a splash pad, playground, and two rentable picnic shelters and a rentable community event room.

Lou Dennis Community Park History

The 11.66 acres was donated to the Newburgh Parks and Recreation Board in the 1970's. Then known as the Newburgh Community Park, the local citizens started a fundraiser to build a pool. Between private donations and a Land Water Conservation Fund grant the Newburgh Community Pool was built in 1972.

The park continued to grow over the years and in 1998 the Fortress of Fun was constructed. The Fortress of Fun was funded by private donations and sponsorships and erected by volunteers over a five day period. The playground is a wooden structure that is a complex of play spaces that offer challenging skill development and exercise for younger children.

In 2015 the Newburgh Community Park was renamed the Lou Dennis Community Park after the Parks and Recreation Board longtime Parks Board

President Lou Dennis.

In 2018, after 45 years in service, the Newburgh Community

Pool was closed. The pool was closed due to age related

infrastructure issues. The Newburgh Parks and Recreation

Board and the Newburgh Town Council together decided

together in January of 2018 to close the pool.

In 2019, the University of Southern Indiana conducted a survey along with a feasibility, sustainability and marketing study of Newburgh Community Pool and Lou Dennis Community Park. The Town of Newburgh along with the Newburgh Parks and Recreation Board will use this information to move forward with renovating Lou Dennis Community Park so it can continue to be enjoyed for years to come.

In August 2019 the Town of Newburgh Parks Board was presented a Master Plan for renovations of the park. The plan will be completed in phases and was approved by Newburgh Parks Board and the Town Council.

In 2021, The Lou Dennis Community Park and Splash Pad was open along with a new playground, basketball courts and community building.

In 2022, the new Kiwanis Club of Historic Newburgh Picnic Shelter was completed.

In 2023, a second shelter was added across from the Kiwanis Club shelter and both shelter houses received electricity. The original 1970's shelter on the back part of the property was removed.