The oldest park of the White Riverway is Indy’s Riverside Park, a more than 800-acre destination that includes Taggart Memorial Amphitheater, Coffin Golf Course, Frank’s Paddlesports Livery, and much more.
The newest piece of the park is Riverside Adventure Park. 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. During the schematic design development of RAP, a nature center was identified as a destination within the site for visitors to gather for education, enrichment, and an opportunity to commune with nature.
A first phase of park improvements is currently underway which focuses on connectivity across the site, accessibility, picnicking, and nature play. With these foundational improvements in construction, now is the time for planning and design of anchor destinations to continue to serve the needs of community, attract visitors from across the region with unique amenities, and connect the community to the White River.
A Nina Mason Pulliam Trust Grant has been awarded to The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis, in partnership with Indy Parks, 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.
Construction of phases will take place over several years. Construction of first phase improvements is currently underway and will include a nature playground, custom picnic shelters, restrooms, a fitness loop, trails, entry plazas, and wayfinding signage.
As a next step in realizing the overall vision for RAP, Indy Parks and The Parks Alliance are working on conceptual design development of a nature center. The nature center will be located along Cold Spring Road towards the north end of the site on top of the hill to take advantage of the vista.
Indy Parks is hosting a Community Open House at the Riverside Park Family Center (2420 E Riverside Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46208) on Wednesday, August 28th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Please join us to provide input on the types of programming you’d like to see at a new nature center in the community!
