Sometimes, a good idea actually takes root and does something good for a community. Back in 2016,…read morea neighborhood (Springdale) decided to turn an empty lot into a park that would help preserve one of the oldest trees in the neighborhood: The Nowland Oak. In cooperation with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful's IPL Project Greenspace, the neighborhood created a small park to tell the story of Indiana during the 300 years of the tree's life. A concrete base was created by a local artist (Nick Gehlhausen) and formed roots spreading down the hillside. On the base, panels were set up showing the history of the state in timelines and script. On the reverse side of the panels, information about native plants is shown. Mosaics were created by artist Barbara Zech to welcome visitors and to follow a path to the park. Note that additional markers were embedded into the sidewalk and lead visitors to an even older Chinquapin Oak a couple blocks away estimated to be 450 years old! (It is probably the oldest tree in Marion County and is called the Temple Oak.) Instead of removing the tree on a lot that was slated for demolition, it is nice to see something pleasant and educational added to the neighborhood. Note: There is no parking other than street parking in the area. Review #578

I visited this park today as I was rolling down Main street (U.S. 40) in Plainfield, In when I…read morerealized I was missing out on something. It dawned on me as I passed Perry road that there was a huge statue in the area that I wanted to see in person. As I made my U-turn (don't do what I do) I quickly googled the address and boom, I was only 3 minutes away. This art work sits behind the newly built apartments in Hobbs Station. Once you bust that right turn and drive for a few seconds the artwork is on the left. I was in awe. I quickly zoomed over and found a park and jumped out of the car. I was so amazed that I didn't see the other artwork. Once I came down off my high I walked the small park and saw another installation at the end of the park and as I walked to my car I saw another one in front of the apartments. It's good to see good talent and know the meaning behind Aku. I got this part straight from the internet...This is the true definition of "empowering children to dream without limitations" This park also offers a small educational area for children ages 2-5 & 2-11. It's a nice up and coming area and a nice park for young children.

This is not an city managed Park. It is a project and neighborhood run park. I do not give my…read morerating of this park lightly. I know that they have limited resources. However, this park has been severely neglected. One of the worse that I have ever seen. The swings are broken, the shelter is not fully covered nor does it have picnic tables, It has very little playground equipment, and the equipment that is there is in need of a good cleaning and maintenance, Additionally, there is really no good parking and the park is filled with trash. There is very limited parking on the street. You may be able to park in the alley way next to the park but it is not paved and has huge holes. I am also not certain if it is meant for parking. The park was meant to be the site of neighborhood birthday parties and church cookouts, but I do not think that will be happening anytime soon. I almost think that it would be better to just start the park over from scratch. I like the idea of the park. It was named after a 3 year old girl that died of congenital heart failure. The land which the park sits was donated by her grandparents who requested the naming of the park. I do not see even visiting this park as it is now, even if I lived in the neighborhood. It is very dirty and does not have much to offer. This was once a decent park and I hope that the they put some money and time into it and bring it back to life. If so, I will be one of the first to update my review.

If you love Indianapolis, and you should, then you have to love it when a neighborhood facing…read morechallenges takes control of those challenges in unique, creative, and community affirming ways. It's no secret that Indy's Near-Eastside has seen its share of challenges. The Rivoli Park Neighborhood that houses the Paige Linn Booker Memorial Park is an area that has had sporadic crime issues and that was significantly impacted by 2008's mortgage crisis. From that, however, the folks in Rivoli Park did a beautiful thing. They created the Paige Linn Booker Memorial Park, a park named after a 3-year-old girl who died at age three from a congenital heart defect and who never had a chance to enjoy a park. It was her grandparents who owned the plot of land upon which this beautiful little pocket park has been created and which has helped turn a weed-filled swamp into a a tiny little urban oasis that serves as proof that you can truly turn virtually anyplace into something pretty darn beautiful. Supported by the folks at Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Booker Memorial Park also became one of the city's first IPL Greenspace projects. Truly, this was a community effort and it has worked beautifully because the community has continued to wrap around it. From a gazebo that anchors the rear of the park, a path leads to the playground equipment that will mostly appeal to toddlers. The original vision for the park was to create an environment that would have appealed to 3-year-old Paige, though this has also been one of the lessons learned by those who created it because the park is actually more used by teens who may have benefited by different equipment. This doesn't mean, of course, that the park isn't used. It has become a neighborhood gathering space and a place for birthday parties and church cookouts. There's a vision for continuing to add new amenities including, potentially, a large chalkboard where neighborhood organizers and poets alike can share their works, creations, and announcements. There's also a shelter that can be utilized. The pathway is very wheelchair friendly. The playground area would likely require some assistance for someone in a wheelchair, though it's a small enough area that it could likely be made to work. Paige Linn Booker Memorial Park isn't going to be confused for one of the city's grand parks. It's a simple "pocket" park that fits in with the urban area where it is set and it is clearly intended as a park that benefits the neighborhood. It's not a destination park. It's just a beautiful example of a neighborhood making their own neighborhood even better. This park reminds me a lot of the concept behind Commons Park. It's a place where the neighborhood's diverse populations can gather together, allow the children to have fun, and get to know one another. Every sign has indicated that this has been pretty darn successful at Booker Memorial Park. If you're in the area, I'd check it out.

This is a nice little stop located on the outside of Indiana Deaf Schools, along the Monon Trail…read more It can not be accessed through the school. You can however park at the school and walk around the fence to it. The colorful gateway is located in a small plaza and is the work of Barbara Zech in conjunction with CSO Architects and Shiel Sexton, and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. The plaza also has bike parking, pavers, landscaping, a bench and a water fountain. I cannot attest to the water's quality though. The gateway is an attention grabber and it mosaic tiles include signs for the alphabet, the days of the week, and numbers that are intended to have passers-by try signing, and/or perhaps learn a sign. It is 7 feet wide and 12 feet high. Zech was assisted by school students on this project, elementary students contributed the small hand designs and the middle and high school students created the American Sign Language tiles. To be almost 15 years old (made in 2009), the gateway looks great. And even though the plaza could use a little TLC as a whole, the gateway is in excellent shape. I really like it, but I think the most use that it gets is from people taking a break from trekking the Monon trail. Out side of that, I do not see many visitors making it a destination stop or visit it outside of being on the trail. If you still would like to just visit it. There is free street parking in a nearby neighborhood or you can park at the school.

It is a great rest stop off the Monon. It has art, benches, landscaping, water, a bike rack, trash…read morecan and is well maintained.

For those who like to explore their city, sometimes it is hard to find names for points of…read moreinterest. For years, I worked on the southwest side of downtown (well close enough) and would drive passed a loose rock dam that stretched across the White River and raised the water level upstream to create a small lake near Riverside park. I could never find a name for this dam. When we get a decent rain in the area, the rocks become a mini rapids with white water. It is a cool point of interest near the old GM Plant and just west of Lucas Oil Stadium. I finally found a name for the rock formation and a small pull off area on the West Drive of White River Parkway, just north of McCarty Street/Oliver Avenue. Flat Rock at White River isn't really a park, but it does have a great view of the dam and has the Indy Skyline as a backdrop. There are also informational kiosks which allow you to read about the history of the area. Indy sure has had a lot of changes over its history. But I was there after a recent rain to check out the dam and to see a recent art installation at the car pull off parking area. (Watch for an upcoming review called Toy Bricks). This isn't the type of park that you will spend hours at, but it is a place you could take a quick stop and get some cool photos of the flowing water and the skyline. Note that parking is limited so be careful of traffic as you are parking so that you are safe. Welcome to this old, but discovered point of interest downtown. Check it out. Review #3830

I love riding my bike and our city has some great trails to get around on. The white river trail…read moreis one such path that takes you along the near west side of the city through IUPUI and white river state park and the zoo. As you head south along the trail from the Zoo, homeless encampments litter the sides of the trail. Just past these litter infused tent habitats is the spillway or overflow. You can drive here and miss the trashiness and the view is quite nice.

The Blickman Educational Trail Park at White River was established in 2005 by Sol and Toby Blickman…read moreas an outdoor environmental educational destination for young people with a special focus on both Boy and Girl Scouts. Donating the land that allows a link between Marott Park and Holliday Park, the Blickmans funded this park to ensure it would remain in its natural state for perpetuity. The odds are fairly strong that you've driven by this park many times if you've lived in Indy for any length of time at all. Located right at 64th and Meridian, not far from the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation where the Blickmans were members, the Blickman Educational Trail Park is one of those "over the shoulder" sites where you pass it, you realize there's something there, and you look over your shoulder to try to figure out what it is. Sol Blickman was a longtime philanthropist in the Indy area. He owned Rogers Jewelers before selling it off to Zale's, then started Rogers Swimming Pools in Broad Ripple. He received a Distinguished Hoosier Award from Governor Daniels in 2005. The actual trail itself is short at .7 miles and connects to the White River Trail. There's ample parking here. It's worth noting that the Blickman Educational Trail Park is truly a "nature" resource and is not a recreational area. There are no real activities beyond those related to environmental education. It's also worth noting, and this causes a loss of a star for me, that the trail itself is not fully accessible, though I do believe there's a way you can detour that allows at least some access. Because the trail does have a section by White River, there's also the potential for flooding - when it's not flooded (which is most of the time), it's stunning in its beauty. This is one of those stunning little gems in Indy that it seems like most people ignore. I was honestly surprised it hadn't been reviewed but, again, it's one of those little spots that's such a short trail it's not really worth going out of your way. It's also set aside off Meridian Street and super easy to miss. I would definitely recommend checking it out at least once. It's yet another wonderful example of someone doing something really great for Indy and ensuring their legacy continues long after they've passed away.

Located between English and Prospect and three blocks east of Shelby is the lot sized Stacy Park…read more It is located at the intersection of Hoyt and Spruce in an area that is seeing much renovation (including some 2 Chicks & a Hammer homes!) The park is colorful and secured by a fence. At the entrance, there is a mini shelter for shade and with cross beams that could probably be used as bench seating by watchful adults. The play area has a few pieces including a multi slide, a climbing/elevated area, and a retro style conical piece. There are no restrooms or water fountains. Parking is limited to available street parking. Overall, it looks like a nice place for kids to play, but probably only smaller kids will be entertained. Review #539

Known as a pocket park with a purpose, this is a small park nestled away in the Hawthorne…read moreneighborhood. It is literally behind 2 houses. It dates back to 2013, and was created after receiving a Project Green Space Grant from KIB.You can find parking in front of one of the houses, but keep in mind that parking is only allows on one side of the street. It is a small art park, that use to be an abandoned lot that was full of illegally dumped trash and furniture and drug paraphernalia. The first thing that yo notice when you see the park is it's bright yellow 1964 Pontiac Bonneville sitting vertical. You will also find bench seating and a picnic table around the car and a fire pit with some stump seating around it as well. The fence is painted with a rainbow version of the city's skyline. In addition to serving as a place to display public art, the park serves as a place that local residents can garden. There are also some fruit trees there. You will also find this home to many species of local native vegetation. Events are hosted at the park throughout the year such as Art in the Park. So, outside of one of these special events, you probably will not spend a lot of time at this park. It is however, a nice place to see and has a wonderful backstory about a neighborhood coming together and doing something positive in their community. And plus you get to see some cool public art (for free) and it provides for some awesome photos.

This used to be an abandoned lot, and now it's a beautiful space for the community. You gotta love…read morethe great things that can happen when residents come together to make their neighborhood better. Purpose Park is a pocket park in the Hawthorne neighborhood. It's on a quiet, residential street, and you would probably drive right by it, except for the fact that there's a yellow 1964 Pontiac Bonneville planted right in the the ground at the entrance of the park. It's a photo op for sure, but also practical: The bottom of the car has been smoothed and is used as a projection screen for neighborhood movie nights. It's a small little park, but it serves the local residents by being a place to plant vegetables (there is a raised bed community garden here). There are also fruit trees and grape vines that surround the park. There's a casita that's used for community performances. There are wooden stumps that circle a fire pit that the neighbors use for summertime campfires. According to Purpose Park's Facebook page, this pocket park is a meeting area for community events, such as Easter egg hunts and other gatherings. I love pocket parks so much, and this little one is a great addition to Indianapolis' amazing community spaces.