Thatcher Park was named after A.J. Thatcher in 1966. Thatcher served as superintendent of the recreation division and was appointed director of the parks department by the mayor from 1956-1963. In the early 1970s, the existing Thatcher Community Center, located at Grande Avenue and Cossell Road, was in the way of the expanding needs of Allison Transmission. As a result, efforts were made to relocate Thatcher Park nearby. In 1974, the award-winning A.J. Thatcher building (Thatcher Family Center) and park were opened on 21.9 acres at 4649 West Vermont Street. The new center offers sports fields, parking, a full gym, activity room, office space, and a unique indoor deep diving and instructional pool.
The Thatcher Park Family Center will be receiving more than $1 million in improvements in 2024 with funding from the Indy Parks capital budget.
Top Things To Do in Thatcher Park
- Playground
- Walking Trail
- Basketball Court
- Weight room
- Indoor Pool open year-round.. Programs provided by the pool include open swim, swim lessons, and water aerobics.
- Indoor/Outdoor Rentable spaces
Winter Warming Center
During extreme temperatures and weather events, Indy Parks Family Centers are available as cooling or warming centers during open hours. To learn more, visit parks.indy.gov/extremeweather
