NEWS RELEASES
Indy Parks and Recreation Puts Forward Vision For Historic Park
Editor's Note: This news item was retrieved and first published through NRPA's website.
Late last year began the master plan set out by Indy Parks and Recreation for Riverside Regional Park in Indianapolis. At 862 acres, the park is larger than New York City’s Central Park and second only to local Eagle Creek Park in size. Riverside Regional Park was established by Mayor Thomas Taggart in 1898. Originally 953 acres straddling the White River. In 1913, the White River flooded resulting in loss of life and massive damage to downtown Indianapolis and the surrounding areas. Fast-forward to 2016 when Indy Parks determined it was time for a master plan for Riverside Regional Park.
According to the article by John D. Jackson, PLA, LEED AP, on the NRPA website, Indy Parks selected a design and planning team that set to work designing not only a park, but also a process — one that was intended to be as engaging, inclusive and collaborative as possible. Engagement was identified as a priority due to the amount of uncertainty within the community about the city’s intentions. The master plan was identified as a 20-year implementation strategy, consisting of four major phases of five years each, starting in 2018 and extending to 2038. The estimated value of the plan’s program of improvements ($118 million) is staggering given that Indy Parks’ capital budget is typically $4 million–$5 million a year. One way to consider the investment is to calculate it as a cost per acre, which equates to about $137,000 for Riverside. The Indianapolis Parks Foundation has identified the Riverside Park project a priority. Together with NRPA, the Indianapolis Parks Foundation will host a Mobile Workshop at Riverside Park during the 2018 NRPA Annual Conference this September.
For more information on Riverside Regional Park and the Indy Parks and Recreation project, click here.
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