"MSI In the News" | Nicest park this side of the state:' Herz-Rose's makeover nearing completion

By David Kronke | Tribune-Star Nov 5, 2025

A rumble of activity engulfed Herz-Rose Park on Wednesday. Fertile soil was spread around the playground area by something resembling an oversized fire hose while a Ditch Witch busily leveled soil near the splash pad.

Workers planted and tended to trees around the playground, and a cement mixer churned future sidewalks in its revolving drum belly near the basketball court sponsored by the Indiana Pacers.

While all that was taking place, John Michael Major, project manager for MSI Construction, offered the media a teaser preview of the refurbished Herz-Rose Park.

Major’s company began breaking ground in January and its substantial completion date is end of November, with finishing touch-ups here and there in December.

Major said he has been able to trim $150,000 from his original bid, which was $3.2 million.

“We’re awfully proud — working with the city, the engineering department, with the architect, we were able to reduce the cost of this project,” he said.

Major said he has seen neighbors “gawking” at the ongoing work in the park.

“They’re glad to see something like this come to this community,” he said, predicting that Herz-Rose will become “the most popular park in the city.

“This is the nicest park this side of the state, in Western Indiana,” Major added.

This entire park is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“If the kids are in a wheelchair, they’re able to go straight out to the play area,” Major said. “There are certain aspects of the play structures that children with impairments can play in.”

Playground equipment invites all manner of climbing and clambering up it, perched upon a soft, spongy surface.

“If I was a kid, I’d probably be climbing all over that and probably falling down,” Major said. “If you walk out on that rubber, it’s really soft, it’s like a memory foam mattress. It’s pretty cool.”

Major contrasted the recreational play structures to those of his youth.

“This is a lot of cool, interesting playground equipment,” he said. “I’m used to playing on playground equipment that was probably installed in the 1940s, so this is pretty impressive.”

Major explained that supply chain issues delayed the arrival of the playground equipment and the installation of the fountain/splash pad, the latter of which was completed on Wednesday.

“Everything else went relatively quickly,” he said. “The building went up quick.”

Major seemed perhaps a smidgen more proud of the work done on rustic cedar community events center in the middle of the park. Carpenters who helped build it, he said, “took the time to make this right — they did a heck of a job.”

The event center will be available to rent for social functions.

“It’s a nice space,” Major said. “I hope it gets used a lot, it’s a heck of an asset.”

Colored lights create colorful water spurting from the fountain/splash pad next to the activity center. Shaded porches circling the center allow parents to watch the kids either play out on the playground on one side of the center or play basketball on the other side. Plenty of benches and seats surround the splash pad.

The next thing to go up will be Greg Mueller’s art installation, which will surround the fountain and feature arches containing hand prints of Ryves neighborhood children.

Restrooms located in the event center are accessible from both inside and outside. Those entering from the exterior will not be able to access the interior when the building is not in use, and outside doors automatically lock when the park closes.

Luke Waltz out of Rockville, Lowland Workshop was the architect. Local union labor provided construction and all of the subcontractors were local, as well. All material used on the park’s makeover was purchased in Vigo County, Major said.