Carmel has some amazing parks, in fact there are over a dozen. Each has it’s own special appeal, but two deserve honorable mention. Central Park, which is featured on the Things to Do page, and Coxhall Gardens, which is featured on this page. For the permanent residents of Southwest Hamilton County, it’s certainly been hard to overlook the tremendous growth occurring in recent years. Jesse and Beulah Cox certainly took notice. In 1999 they donated 125 acres of prime real estate to the Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Department. Their desire was to “create an oasis amidst a sea of homes”. Their dream is becoming realized in the development of Coxhall Gardens. A statue commemorating the Cox’s overlooks the Italian Renaissance fountain at the heart of the Centerpiece. The setting is peaceful and serene. With construction scheduled to be complete in 2010, with a final cost of $30 million, this park will truly be unique. A drawing of the Master Plan can be found here. Final plans include a conservatory, museum, and numerous specialty gardens. Currently amenities include the park centerpiece (shown in the header above), children's garden, twin bell towers, Campbell Crossing, which overlooks the water, as well as a lot of open space. The Centerpiece includes the statue of Jesse and Beulah Cox, a gazebo, fountains, and tiered lawn seating. In 2005, it served as the location of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Solheim Cup, considered to be the premier event in women’s world golf. The tournament was held at the nearby prestigious Crooked Stick Golf Club. The official Coxhall Gardens website can be found here. Parts of the park are available for rental and may be scheduled for weddings, reunions and other special gatherings. CoxHall Gardens backs up to the the Village of WestClay, a premier Carmel neighborhood, also featured on this website .