Welcome to Crossroads Commons

This space—affectionately known as "the grass"—represents our commitment to a future where families can gather, play, and connect in a safe, inclusive environment. It matters because every community deserves a "third place" that promotes mental well-being and local pride without the pressure of a price tag. Without your support, we face a permanent shift toward commercial sprawl, losing the character and potential of our historic downtown forever.

*What happens to my donation in the unlikely event the deadline isn’t reached?

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Conceptual Design

Crossroads Commons Quilt fundraiser preview

Crossroads Commons Quilt

A collaborative fundraiser to preserve 0.70 acres of land in Salem, Indiana. Every $20 patch stitches our community closer together.

37,500 patches · one community
$750k
Goal
$20
Per Patch
37,500
Patches

Every Patch Counts

Claim a patch on the quilt for just $20 and help us reach our goal. Choose your color, pick your spot, and become part of a living mosaic of community support.

Premium pixel art designs are also available for larger contributions — from tiny icons to stunning showpieces.

Visit the Quilt

Programming vision

What happens here.

This is the plan — some of it already happening, some of it coming once the land is secured. All of it dependent on the community showing up, which Washington County has never had trouble doing.

Spring · Summer · Fall
Farmers Market & Local Makers
Weekly market in the open lawn — local produce, handmade goods, and a food truck or two parked out back. The kind of Saturday morning that makes people stay in Salem.
recurring
Summer
Music Nights Under the Shade Sail
Free outdoor concerts in the covered picnic area. Local bands, regional acts, and the occasional something-you-didn't-expect.
free · public
Year-round
Monon South Trail Waystation
Trail users rolling through Salem get a real stop — shade, seating, food trucks, and a reason to spend money downtown instead of just passing through.
trail · tourism
Fall
Trick-or-Treat Zone & Fall Fest
A safe, central, lit gathering point for Halloween — and an anchor for a proper fall festival on the downtown square.
family · community
Spring · Summer
Plays in the Park
Outdoor theater on the open lawn — community productions, school performances, visiting troupes.
arts · performance
Ongoing
Art Festivals & Pop-Up Galleries
Local and regional artists using the park as a canvas and a venue — installations in the planting beds, gallery walls on the building, and show every summer.
arts · culture
Year-round
Community Organization HQ
The WCCAC building hosts meetings, workshops, resource fairs, and the kind of civic organizing that doesn't make the news but makes everything else possible.
civic · coalition
As needed
Private Event Rentals
Weddings, reunions, corporate picnics, graduation parties — modest rental fees fund the park's ongoing programming. Beautiful space, zero bureaucracy.
revenue · sustainable
The longer game.
Phase 2
Once the land is secured, Phase 2 brings in the solar-covered pavilion — a permanent performance and event structure that powers itself and runs year-round without utility overhead.
For who
Washington County Pride QSA. Local makers who can't afford a storefront. Kids who need somewhere to be after school. Trail riders who need somewhere to stop. Everybody, basically.
The deadline
July 9, 2026. That's when the purchase window closes. After that, this corner goes back on the market — and the gas station plans come back with it. We have one shot.
None of this happens without the land.
Help us secure it.
Fill a Patch →

DONATION DISCLAIMER:

Donations to Crossroads Commons are being collected specifically to support the acquisition of property for the future community park project. If, for any reason, the fundraising goal is not met or the property purchase cannot be completed, all donations will be refunded to donors, less any applicable non-refundable processing fees.

Donors may also choose, entirely at their discretion, to have their contribution redirected to support the ongoing financial needs and community initiatives of the Washington County Community Action Coalition instead of receiving a refund. No donations will be redirected without the donor’s explicit consent. We are committed to transparency, responsible stewardship, and honoring the intent of every contribution made in support of this community effort.