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Whitestown’s Rex property park design completed; groundbreaking planned for April
Summary
Dominic Cornet, Whitestown’s assistant town manager and parks director, told the Redevelopment Commission the Rex property park (to be named Mau Commons Park) has reached 100% design, will be funded with town and park impact fees (no RDC funds), and is expected to break ground in April with completion in fall 2026.
Dominic Cornet, assistant town manager and parks director for the Town of Whitestown, told the Redevelopment Commission on March 2 that the design work for the park at the Rex property has reached 100% and the town expects to break ground in April, pending council approval.
Cornet said the park — which the town intends to call Mau Commons Park — will include pavilions, basketball and pickleball courts, a splash pad, a playground, picnic shelters, paved paths, sports fields, a small amphitheater and public restrooms. He said courts on the site were rotated north–south in the design to reduce sun glare, and the plan preserves green space and a retention pond with a paved trail.
“We are finally done with our 100% completion on the project as far as the design aspect goes,” Cornet said, adding that the project came in “under budget barely.” He said the town and park impact fees will pay for construction and that no Redevelopment Commission (RDC) funds are expected to be used, though the RDC owns the land.
Cornet identified JQOL (civil engineering) as the designer, GM Development as the owner’s representative for construction and Hagerman Construction as the planned contractor. He said the town expects to break ground on April 2 at 3:00 p.m., contingent on council approval in March, and anticipates final completion in the fall of 2026.
Commissioners asked about parking, event staging for a farmers market and public access to the amphitheater. Cornet said parking ratios conform to standards, a roundabout and staging areas could be used to support events, and the amphitheater will be publicly available and programmed by the parks department. He also said Hagerman’s construction program may involve local children in the ceremonial groundbreaking.
The parks director said the fields are intended to support local youth sports and could accommodate an independent youth football program feeding into Lebanon-area high schools. Cornet said the town will research options for the historic Rex sign—either incorporating it into the larger development or placing it with a museum—and will continue to develop the remainder of the property as buildout proceeds.
Next steps: the commission will await the town council’s approval in March; if approved, a groundbreaking ceremony is planned for April 2 and the park is expected to open in phases through fall 2026.
