I've been spending some time in Beech Grove over the Memorial Day holiday this year, and I realized…read moreI'd never really checked out Don Challis Park. This is a 14-acre park named after a longtime Beech Grove resident who was devoted to improving the community and the area's parks. If you visit the city's website, you'll even see a letter from the Challis family on the parks department page. The park is adjacent to South Grove Intermediate School. It's accessible from 9th Avenue, and it features a picnic shelter, playground equipment, a volleyball court, and a good amount of green space with mature trees. From May-October, the shelter can be rented for $65 for Beech Grove residents and non-profits. Non-residents pay $100. The park has experienced some upgrades in recent years, though in 2022 there was a shooting at the park during a vigil. To my knowledge, it was targeted (during a vigil) and I've never seen the park have any other issues. I've always felt safe around the park and in Beech Grove. Don Challis Park does have parking available, and there's also a public restroom (I think the restroom might be seasonal, though I'm not sure). Don Challis Park is a solid community park. I wouldn't call it a destination park, but it serves the community well. For a relatively small city, Beech Grove does well with its parks.

This is a nice little park in Beech Grove. It was originally named South Grove Park, but was later…read morerenamed to Don Challis Park, after a man who diligently worked for 29 years to make the parks in Beech Grove a wonderful place for children and adults to enjoy. The park has its own private lot. It appears to be going through some type of renovation. Maybe a paved jogging trail or something. It is relatively small, sitting at about 14 acres. It has a a covered pavilion with picnic tables, a playground, a sand volleyball court, and a little green space to play or sit and have a picnic. The park also has a huge restroom facility. The playground is lined with wood chips and has a jungle gym with some slides and a long row of swings. The sand volleyball court is in adequate shape and the park's grounds are well maintained. This is a decent park to spend some time. You can hang out with the little ones or just relax and watch cars go by. It looks like they are set on improving this park and making it even better.

This is a great neighborhood park that we like to visit when in town. The best part here is the…read morenewer splash pad area. Since its super old and rusty, it's usually empty, so the kids like it. There are 6-8 covered picnic tables to use out of the sun. There's also a few bike racks, park benches and an indoor bathroom. I'm not sure I'd let the kids go in, but it's there. Visit in a hot day to run out some energy and cool off on those super sunny days! It's never really packed and the water is controlled by pushing the button to start. Kids love it!

This is an "Ok" neighborhood park. They have a very small splash pad, that is very basic. It just a…read morecement pad with in ground water spouts and a bench right off of it. There is a "meeehhhhh" playground with some older equipment. You will find an accesible jungle gym with a slide, a tilted sky spinner, a bank of traditional swings and a bank of toddler swings (however some are missing). The area is lined with wood chips and has a bench to sit and watch the littles. Behind the play area is some small green space where you can play some stuff like catch, kick a soccer ball or a small game of football. Like I said, the area is small. There is a half decent walk path at the park, but it is also small and not really good for working out or getting your steps in. There is a also a picnic shelter with picnic tables under it and a grill right out side of it. Near the front of the park is where you will find the small unisex restroom facility. It is not open during the winter though. There is free street parking in front of the park and along adjacent streets that are within reasonable walking distance. This park could use a little investment. It has potential but is a bit outdated. It is not a bad park if you live within walking distance from it. Otherwise, I would not travel here just for this.

This park is 88 acres and has many features. The first thing that you will notice as you enter the…read morepark is the Southern Hancock County Veterans Memorial, a memorial dedicated to the Veteran heroes that called Hancock County home. It is a well done and fitting tribute to those men and women. There is no problem parking at this park. It has a decent sized private parking lot. The park also has a basic dog park that is basically two large fenced in areas with some seating. To the best of my knowledge, the use of the dog park does not require a membership, which if true, is nice. The park is home to a decent paved trail. My only issue with it is that it is a down and back trail and not a circular one. It runs along the side of the park and is about 2 miles, round trip. There are a few benches along the trail for people to use and take a load off. The trail also has some fitness equipment along its path to use that has bee there for over 12 years. You will find a picnic shelter at this park, with picnic tables under it and a grill just outside of it. The shelter and picnic tables are a bit aged and could use a little TLC. It is available to be reserved through the county, if you are looking. The park's playground area is on a bed of old wood chips and has some older equipment that consists of a pebble bridge, a spiral slide, rocker bees, a rock climbing wall, a jungle gym with a spiral slide, canopies and bridges, a bank of traditional/toddler swings, a pyramid net climber, and a see-saw. They have benches along the area's perimeter for caregivers to sit and watch their little ones, while their little ones play. The playground equipment is serviceable, but you can tell that it has been since 2010. A 9-hole disc golf course was also installed at the park in 2010 as part of a Boy Scout project. There is no shortage of field or green space at this park. The park has a multi-use field with a bunch of soccer nets spread out on it. There is also a backstop on the field as well, that could be suitable for sports such as baseball, softball, or kick ball. The open field could be used for just about any field activity including football, soccer, field hockey, flying a kite, playing catch, or having a picnic. The park does not have a rest room facility. You will see a porta-potty by the dog park, just off of the parking lot though. Feel free to use that. Anyway, the park is relatively well maintained, but there was a little trash and junk around the shelter though. On a positive note, the grass was well groomed. Does it need a few updates and new equipment? Yes, but it works for now. It is a decent park to pass some time and hang out at, if you are in the area. I probalbly would not call it a destination park though.

One of the first things you notice at the entrance of the park is that there is a new installation…read moreof the Southern Hancock County Veterans Memorial going in. The memorial has flags and some nice monuments and a bunch of loosely laid bricks with veteran names on them. I hope that these bricks will be installed properly when the memorial is completed. The rest of the park has a dog park, a playground, something that looks like it might be a frisbee golf game (I honestly haven't seen anything like it), and space for sporting events. And poor drainage. So much so that even after two days since the rains cleared out, much of this former field had standing water. The playground was surrounded by water, so I can't see this being an ideal condition for most visitors. I guess if you want to use this park, you hope for a drought and then there is a lot you can do. I will give it a bonus star out of respect for the memorial, but the rest of the park needs some drainage and attention. Review #780

Don't forget to bring your Frisbee, as there is a fabulous 18 disc golf course that winds through…read morenative prairie, past a butterfly garden and along a lovely pond. Catch and release fishing is allowed in the pond and no fishing license is required. (Swimming is not allowed in the pond). The mulch covered paths and gardens along the pond are nicely maintained, though may be difficult for wheelchair access. The playground has multiple climbing structures, slides and play areas. The ground is covered in mulch. Covered seating is available. The playground is fenced so that kids don't wonder. A large covered pavilion near the parking lot with picnic tables offers seating. The pavilion is available on a first come basis, unless there is a church activity. A baseball diamond and soccer fields are also available on a first come basis. The land for the park was donated to the community by Parkside Bible Church, so it is not surprising that there is a Christian vibe throughout the park. The playground was built by local volunteers. The graveled parking lot holds dozens of cars. Portable potties are available at the park. The park is a great place to connect with nature, walk the dog or let the kids play.

We have another awesome park in Brownsburg!…read more This park has everything and more of what I'm looking for on a day out with my kids: a toddler section with age appropriate equipment for my small kids, musical equipment like a large xylophone and drums, swings, and a big playground for bigger kids. And! It is completely enclosed - which is perfect cause my two year old is a runner. I only got to enjoy the playground but, looking around, I noticed there is also a disc golf course, a walking trail, and a fishing pond. There was even a garden area a ways off from the playground - I made a mental note that it would be a perfect place to come for some time by myself, maybe with a book. Some nearby parks are too secluded so I don't feel comfortable going alone - but this garden looked close enough to the playground to make me feel not totally alone but far enough away for some quiet privacy. In short, I am definitely adding this to our park circulation.

This is a pretty decent park. It has a decent sized private parking lot and a community center. The…read moreplayground is awesome. It does not just have a rock climbing wall. it has a rock to climb. There is a nice dragon fly shaped see-saw, a wasp looking small jungle gym with a slide, a new style climber dome, a swing set with a saucer swing, and some other newer style swings, some percussion instruments like congos, and a medium size jungle gym with ladders, cargo nets, ropes stairs and a slide. The park is home to a small but decent splash pad. It was not operational while I was there because I visited off-season. Nect to the splash pad is a pretty decent full basketball court. It is well maintained and the court, rims and back board look new. You will find two shelters on opposite ends of the park with picnic tables under them. There are no grills however. The larger of the two shelters is by the community center. There is also a half basketball court over there. It is as nice as the full court. I could really make it rain there. Many people that visit the park are there to utilize its half mile trail that goes around the park's perimeter. It is a very nice paved trail that is popular among runner, walkers, and dog walkers a like. To top it all off the park has some green space pockets that can be used for pick up soccer or football games, playing catch, tossing a frisbee around or having a picnic. This is a very nice park that has a lot to offer and is very accessible. I enjoyed my time at the park and could only imagine if the community center and splash pad was open how I would a felt. I recommend checking out this place. It is even worth a little bit of a drive to get to.

This new park/playground/athletic field looks like a great new addition to the Indy Park system…read more The park was originally built in 2002 across the street, but due to some changes in circumstances in 2011, a plan was made to exchange property and move the park to its present location. Like all plans, it has taken awhile to get the park to the final stages which should be done later this year. In the meantime, the park has hiking trails, a splash area, a ton of playground equipment, and basketball courts. There is a spacious new parking lot and the community center is nearing completion. The only negative I can see is the landscaping. They are sowing grass around the latest construction areas and have a sweeping lawn between the playground and pavilion on the south end. However, there is a noticeable absence of trees for shade. It would be great to see at least some trees planted along the trails and near the playground to eventually offer a place to cool down. Review #566

Ringgold Park has been completely revitalized as of the summer of 2023. It has new (and awesome)…read moreplayground equipment and rubberized, synthetic turf surfacing installed around the playground. The park is tiny -- just 0.19 acres, and there is no parking lot, just street parking. This pocket park is maintained by Indy Parks & Recreation. The park playground features a climbing structure, a swing set with swing-along swings that accommodate both child and caregiver, and a seesaw. There are also two benches off to the side for parents and caregivers to sit and watch their children play. There are some natural spaces around the park that are maintained by Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Indy Parks and Bates-Hendricks neighbors. All around the park are native plants and shrubbery, as well as bird boxes to encourage wildlife to visit. I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to bring my children to this park because it's so small. But if you're in the area and need a place for your child to play, this will more than serve its purpose!

This pocket park was shaped as I-65 sliced through the near east side forming a triangular shape at…read morethe end of Ringgold Street. A small raised patch of land was turned into a neighborhood park. The park has recently upgraded to add new mulch and some shrubs were planted. The park only has one bench for seating. There are a few swings and a retro spring-type piece of equipment to use like a teeter totter. Other than these few items, there isn't much for kids or adults to do. No running water and no designated parking mean that the most likely users of this park at the back side of the neighborhood will be families that live within walking distance. Review #537

I haven't been spending too much time in McCordsville lately, but I finished some writing early and…read moredecided to reward myself with a late lunch and a drive through the area. Old School Park is a relatively small park in a growing area of McCordsville. At a mere three acres, Old School Park really packs in the fun with a recently revamped playground and a pretty cool basketball. There's a baseball diamond off to the side, though it's way smaller and either used exclusively for kids or not quite revamped yet. Old School Park has a shelter, a story walk, and there's also a tennis court. They also do have public restrooms. Dogs are allowed. The ground surface on the playground was rather soft. I'm not quite sure what it is, but I liked it. The playground itself is not accessible. The park was packed on this end of May Saturday with the sun out and the temps in the mid-70s. Teens were at the basketball court. Parents with children were at the playground. I might caution that the park is next to a lightly traveled road, and the only barrier happens to be a row of parking spaces. So, darting children could have an issue between parked cars and traffic. The road is definitely lightly traveled, though there are several new businesses in the area - so, it's for sure growing. This is definitely not a destination park, though it's a wonderful residential park for the McCordsville area.

I love a revamped park. I don't know what Old School Park looked like before it got a refresh, but…read moreit's lookin' good now! And it was super busy when I visited, which is always nice to see. Old School Park has two new playgrounds: one for toddlers and another big-kid playground for ages up to 12 years old. The big-kid playground has a giant tunnel slide, a spherical climbing structure, swings and a merry-go-round. Both playgrounds have rubber playground surfacing. There is also a new picnic shelter, a restroom facility (which was not open when I visited, but is supposed to open soon) and two revamped basketball courts. This is a tiny neighborhood park, and not a park I would go out of my way to visit. (Unless you're screwy like me and will drive your children 30 minutes to visit a tiny playground because it's new and you've never experienced it before.) But this is a nice little place to play for the people who live in McCordsville.

Hohlt Park is sort of the unofficial park of the Rocky Ripple area of Indianapolis. Bordered by…read moreWhite River and the Canal just north of Butler, Hohlt Park is located 8 blocks west of 52nd and Meridian. Sadly, I'll admit I didn't even really know about it until friends played a concert here. With space donated by the Hohlt Family, this is a pretty simple neighborhood park with playground equipment, a dome climber, a merry-go-round, and a field that often plays host to small concerts/musical events. Additionally, of course, Hohlt Park hosts the Rocky Ripple Festival. Additional facilities include sports fields, a shelter with picnic tables, and lots of greenery. This is by no means a high-end park and it's certainly not one I'd go out of the way to experience, however, if you're in the area it's a great place to stop, rest, play, or enjoy a picnic. Overall, I'd probably lean more toward a 3.5 here, however, I do think this park serves the Rocky Ripple area well and it's reasonably well maintained - so, I'm going with the 4-star. As a matter of note, this park does not fall under Indy Parks. When I was here, I encountered a handful of people who were friendly and the park was clean and felt safe to me.

This is a medium sized neighborhood park, spanning about 6 acres. It has a small amount of parking…read moreavailable in a grassy area and one odd thing that I noticed is that there are not any trash receptacles in the park. The park has been known to hold community special events such as the Rocky Ripple Festival. The park has a nice pavilion with picnic tables under it and there is also a decent sand volleyball court with bleachers next to it. You will find a lot of green space here that is suitable for field sports such as football and soccer, or having a picnic, playing catch, or flying a kite. The park's playground is on a bed of wood chips and has your traditional equipment such as a merry go round, toddler and traditional swings, a 4-way see-saw, and a medium sized jungle gym with slides (straight and spiral), climbing nets and monkey bars. The park just recently replace it old dome climber with a new crab trap play structure. It is very nice. I found the park's picnic tables very neat. It looks like the legs were made from small tree trucks. They are pretty cool if you ask me. The park seemed pretty well maintained, especially considering there was not a trash can to be found and the amount of grass that has to be maintained. This is a nice park, but I will be the first to admit that is not a destination park and finds most of its usage from people from the adjacent neighborhood that live within walking or biking distance. It is a very nice park if you live in the area or just visiting the area and looking for a playground or place to hang out.