Since January 2017, Indy Parks has explored new features and enhanced existing amenities at Riverside Park through our park master plan, which will guide development of the area over the next 20 years. The addition of an adventure play and nature experience was included in the master plan with focus on the 200 acres of land located north of 30th Street. 

This area includes a variety of natural features and terrain, river ecosystems including Crooked Creek, and the old Lake Sullivan just south of I-65.  It is bordered by the White River on the east and Cold Spring Road on the west.  This project will provide new and exciting experiences for residents to engage with nature. The site is open and we encourage you to visit to experience its natural beauty and provide feedback on the vision for the future!

Since the end of 2019, Indy Parks has been developing the concept for an adventure park at the former Riverside Golf Course. The site’s varied natural conditions provide opportunities for a wide variety of activities across its 200 acres.  The northern portion features wetlands and riparian landscapes, while the western side of the park is on high ground with great views and access to the neighborhoods to the west.  The central and southeastern portions of the park are within the lower floodplain and closest to the White River and the section of Riverside Park south of 30th Street.   

The Schematic Design phase for Riverside Adventure Park took a deeper dive into what the Master Plan identified in 2017, and was refined through feedback from community surveys, stakeholder and neighborhood input, and two engaged steering committees representing a wide variety of technical and community perspectives. As the Riverside Adventure Park concept was developed, five zones emerged informed by the natural conditions and organized by the proposed improvements at each zone. The Concept Plan was finalized in May 2021 and provides a road map for phased implementation of improvements at Riverside Adventure Park. The total anticipated costs for the Concept Plan are $80 million and a strategic approach to implementation, alongside community partners, will be needed to realize this exciting vision.  

In February 2021, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced $45 million in funding to Indy Parks facilities through the first phase of the Circle City Forward initiative. The money is being used to pay for improvements to Frederick Douglass Park, Grassy Creek Park, Krannert Park, and Riverside Park. The $11 million investment at Riverside Park will be used to implement parts of the Riverside Promenade and a first phase of improvements at the Riverside Adventure Park including enhancing connectivity across the park, entry plazas, outdoor fitness trail, expanded parking facilities, nature playground, and shelters for picnicking and gathering with family and friends. 

Over the course of 2022, documents will be created for the construction of first  phase improvements. As part of the Design Development phase, the team re-engaged with the Steering Committee and held a public open house to share information about improvements and get feedback for future programming at the site. Feedback collected at the open house has been implemented into the design plans. A signage and wayfinding master plan document to guide branding and signage across all of Riverside Regional Park was also developed. To get email updates, please sign up below: