In response to a significant flood event that inundated the town, increased vulnerability from escalating climate change events, and an aspiration for recognition as a design-forward town, the City of Westfield, Indiana, has overlaid strategic infrastructure with communal purpose to create a socially purposeful, environmentally resilient, and inclusive park focused on human engagement. A new park was created for the citizens of Westfield and their friends around which downtown development will grow.

The Wilhelm design team worked with the Army Corps of Engineers, Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and the Hamilton County Drainage Board on the remediation of the stream central to the site and to tie it into the regional stormwater mitigation system. This critical work allowed for the design of the park to incorporate access to the Grassy Branch Creek once more— an opportunity lost in Westfield’s history but something for which the City was once known.

The Grand Junction Plaza consists of several unique and accessible areas: an amphitheater and gathering place for festivals, concerts and special events; a café; jet fountain; an ice-skating rink (winter); a hardscape festival boulevard; and a one-of-a-kind playground and nature area for recreation and relaxation.