Adapting Leonard Park to a post-pandemic world

Everyone is aware of how the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted our world. We have seen this in our professional lives, our education, and our private lives. With the rise of remote work and the utilization of the internet with its vast communication abilities, more and more people have turned away from offices and classrooms and towards their homes. In response to the pandemic outdoor spaces have also shifted. Businesses and restaurants extended their buildings toward sidewalks, streets, and parking lots to continue through the pandemic. During the height of the pandemic, there was a surge in park visitation and people began to see the value of outdoor spaces. With all of this in mind, this proposal will summarize how adapting Leonard Park in Speedway, Indiana will meet the needs and opportunities of the post-pandemic world. This entails addressing the direct effects of the pandemic itself and the existing issues and opportunities of the site and its surroundings.