The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis and Indy Parks received grant funding for the design of the project
INDIANAPOLIS – On Wednesday, August 28 at 6 pm Indy Parks will host a Community Open House at the Riverside Park Family Center (2420 E Riverside Dr) to receive public input on design concepts for a nature center at the Riverside Adventure Park. The design phase is scheduled to take place over six months, concluding in early 2025. During the master planning process for the Riverside Adventure Park, a nature center was identified as a destination within the site for visitors to gather for education, enrichment, and an opportunity to connect with nature.
Construction of the first phase of the Riverside Adventure Park began in November 2023 and is scheduled for completion at the end of 2024 with public access beginning in early 2025. First phase improvements are currently underway and include a trail network, nature playground, picnic shelters, and improved entryways to the park.
As part of the Indy Parks 2025 Budget, the department is pursuing a $6.8 million grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to fund phase two improvements at the Riverside Adventure Park that will build a dedicated archery range on the northeastern part of the park.
The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis in partnership with Indy Parks was awarded a Nina Mason Pulliam Trust Grant to fund the Schematic Design for the Riverside Adventure Park Nature Center as an element that will deliver these goals. The Schematic Design will take place over six months and conclude in early 2025. At the end of this phase, a concept for the nature center building and outdoor amenities will be identified as well as estimated costs for its implementation that will inform the next steps of the project.
Indy Parks has been developing Riverside Adventure Park (RAP) since it was identified as part of the Riverside Regional Park Master Plan in 2017, as the conversion of a former golf course into a nature park for all.
