I'm honestly amazed I've never reviewed Arsenal Park. I live just east of SoBro, South Broad Ripple…read morefor the uninitiated, and drive by and/or visit Arsenal Park on a pretty regular basis. It's a 13-acre park smack dab in the middle of the SoBro area. This is a definite residential park with parking that's pretty interesting - it's essentially around the perimeter of the park. This is a very wooded park. It's actually a pretty heavily utilized park and there's very few times that I drive by here that I don't actually see people at the park. This park was purchased by the City of Indianapolis in 1928 (Fun fact: Original price was $19,915). It resulted from a desire for a park in the area east of what's known as Meridian Kessler. Early development came from such projects as the New Deal jobs programs and the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. Arsenal Park offers a variety of activities including basketball courts, a bicycle polo course, a multipurpose field, a splash pad, playground, a shelter and a comfort station. Arsenal Park was purchased by the City of Indianapolis in 1928 following community interest in establishing a park in the area east of the Meridian Kessler neighborhood. Much of the early development of the 11-acre park was done through New Deal jobs programs like the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. This park offers basketball courts, a bicycle polo course, a community garden, a multipurpose field, a splash pad, playground equipment, a shelter, and a comfort station. This seems to be a park that's always under some sort of development. There's a current master plan for the park and it's a beautiful setting that I don't feel like has ever lived up to its potential. Another fun fact: It's called Arsenal Park because it used to be on Arsenal Avenue (which became Indianola). At one point, it was also called Haverford Park. If you pay attention to this area, there's a Haverford baseball complex down the street. I tend to agree with most of the reviews here. I love this park. It's also great for those who geocache - there's more than one geocache in this park. It's not the most wheelchair friendly park and there's really not a walking path here. However, the playground is fairly accessible. Overall, this is a solid 4-star park that could easily be developed into a 5-star park with some love, attention, and vision. I typically do feel safe in this park, though the bike area can get a bit congested. It's surrounded by houses and pretty open concept.

This is a neat park. It is a bit older, dating back to 1928, but still has a lot of life left. It…read morewas originally named Haverford Park, after Haverford Avenue which borders it on its West side. The park is home to a garden. I believe it is one of those community gardens that are popping up all over the area. It has a table and chairs to sit and looks nice. The park seems well maintained and has adequate parking available. It spans 13 acres and spans a bit of everything. They have a skate park that has seen better days. It sits on what use to be old tennis courts. It looks like it was put together using items that were found laying around. It has rails, ramps, stairs and other pieces that I do not know the name of. It may be makeshift, but it works. There were people shredding (is that still the word) when I was there. The park also have a restroom facility and a couple of shelters with picnic tables under it and grills outside of them. There is also a very nice water park there. It seems relatively new. There are benches over there that are shaded by canopies where parents can sit and watch their littles play. The park also has a lot of green space that could be used for activities such as football, soccer, flying a kite, or having a picnic. The park's full basketball court has seen better days. It will do for those wanting to just throw up a few shots. The court could use a fresh coat of paint though. Of course the park has a playground. It is on a bed of wood chips and consists of a few pieces of older traditional equipment. It is not a very big area. Some of the equipment includes a bank of traditional/toddler swings, an accessible medium sized jungle gym with slides, and a spinning net climber. The splash pad makes this park a destination park for some. It is a nice traditional park that has a lot to offer.

This is the spot for indoor and outdoor kid friendly fun. The interior is small, hosting many…read morerescued reptiles, amphibians, and other exotic animals. There's a small play area with lots of opportunities for hands on learning. Outside there's chickens, walking trails, a play set, and giant chess board for good weather fun. This park is free to explore. Staff is knowledge and passionate about caring for the animals. Looking forward to coming back to check out some of the programs.

I finally stopped by Helen Pecar Park this past weekend on my way through Hendricks County to my…read moreparents' home. Pecar Park & Nature Center is a fairly new Avon Park that is a unique balance of primitive meets contemporary. The park has its own naturalist and the nature center offers turtles, tortoises, bearded dragons, and other animals. There's an amphitheater that is primarily used as an outdoor education space. The Nature Center can be rented by the hour or by the day (only between the hours of 10am-9pm). Pecar Park offers 9 primitive campsites, though there is an indoor bathroom and shower to make everything a little less primitive. Rental of a campsite is $15 for township residents, $25 for non-residents. The park also offers a playground, community fire pit, pod, greenspace, GLOW lab, and geocachers should know geocaching is available at this park (and encouraged). Pecar Park still feels like a work in progress. It's one of those parks that's always a dilemma for me - technically, it's accessible. Yet, it's really not. The way Yelp's accessibility questions are phrased, technically this park meets them. However, this park tends to be a place where it's best to have a companion with you, especially if you have mobility issues, as there are places where paths are a bit more rustic and even the playground is a bit more natural in setting. Pecar Park is off the main drag in Hendricks County and seems to be a still underutilized park. It seems to be more about natural activities than just "fun." There's also a bird aviary and a low ropes challenge. Again, this feels like a work in progress but a cool work in progress. It seems like this park has grown a bit since its 2019 opening, however, it remains one of Avon, Indiana's more underrated gems. While accessibility is definitely a bit of an issue here, with a little assistance it's likely one can really appreciate this more natural and relaxed setting. As near as I could tell, the nature center itself was solid in terms of accessibility. I got everywhere I wanted to go here - it just took a little effort.

I wish I could be arsed to find out why this park is called Wolf Run Park. I can't, though, so I…read moreguess it will forever remain a mystery. Because the name of the park has "wolf" in it, I kind of thought it would be a bit more bad in the good way (like Michael Jackson's Bad), but instead, it was just good in the bad way (like boring). Kids will love the playground, though. And that's the point of visiting this park. The playground has a big structure for the older kids, and a small structure for the younger kids. There are saucer swings, regular swings, a rope climber, slides, musical instruments, a merry-go-round and other fun things to play on. The whole playground is padded with wood chips. The playground looks like it is relatively modern (no metal equipment), but there isn't anything that stands out about this park. It has a run-of-the-mill playground, and it does its job. There are basketball courts a ways away. There's a big, grassy field to enjoy. One thing to note is that there is zero shade on the playground. That was fine when I visited, because it was an overcast day. But I imagine that this playground can be insufferable on a hot, sunny day. Another thing to note is that there are restrooms at Wolf Run Park, but on the day that I visited, they were closed for the season. So I guess if you visit this park during the fall and winter (and maybe even early spring), the restrooms will be closed.

My nieces love this park and it's become one we visit fairly often. The playground has equipment…read morefor a variety of ages to enjoy with swings, spinning spots, play houses, climbing materials and plenty of slides. The ground is a wood chip base, so sneakers are better than sandals and slides for shoes! There tends to be a lot of bugs, little tiny flys of some kind today, so something to be aware of. They did just add a bathroom recently, and I used it for the first time today. There was no toilet paper or soap. The toilet and sink water worked fine, and there was a changing table. One of two water fountains worked too. I'm hoping that all improves soon, but I'm still grateful they put in bathrooms here! It was a problem before. The trail is nicely paved and there's a little break to the left when you turn down the trail. If you follow it, you'll find a little spot to see the creek. Not really enough to play in, but we like to go take a minute to see it sometimes.

It's still hard for me to do park reviews without thinking of the late Yelper Ken N., a Yelp Elite…read morewho had a passion for documenting Indiana's parks and public art. Chatham Commons is a small yet attractive pocket park with land donated by long-time area residents Tom Jones (not the singer!) and Paul Atkinson in 2011. In addition to the land, there's a sculpture, Boy and Dog by Tom Otterness, that was also donated. This is really a gathering space for adults. There's no real kid-friendly features. There's very short walking paths, a pergola, benches, and ottoman chairs. The park is maintained well with the help of the Chatham Arch Neighborhood Foundation, though anyone familiar with Indy knows that the Chatham area folks take pride in their neighborhood and really do a nice job of taking care of this space. As a wheelchair user, I always have to look at a public space through an accessibility lens. Everything is really pretty fine here, though visiting the park really comes down to street parking. It's a relatively quiet area and not that hard to find a space that works with a wheelchair. Curb-cuts are appropriate and I can easily access all the features. The benches obviously don't have grab rails, however, I'm typically pretty happy if I can simply move around independently in a park and I can definitely do that here. Is this a destination park? Oh heavens no. However, it serves this neighborhood really well and is nicely utilized - especially during the summer and fall months I've noticed. There's only mild protection from elements - so during inclement weather this isn't the place you want to go.

This is a cute little pocket park. I am surprised that I am only the 3rd person to review it. It…read moreis very beautiful park that may be small, but has some really neat stuff like paved walking paths, a pergola, colorful ottaman style chairs and benches. You will also find a sculpture titled Boy and Dog by Tom Otterness right in the center of the park. There is a lot of free street parking available in front of the park as well as on the side. The park is well maintained, even during the off season and has a trendy, but peaceful vibe. The park is accesible and has a long ramp leading into it. The park and sculpture was donated by long time residents Tom Jones and Paul Atkinson. It was dedicated in their memory in 2011 as a gathering place for residents of the neighborhood that they so loved. I like this park and it is one that even if you are not a resident, you still would enjoy. It is however, very convenient for those people living close by. This is definitely worth a stop if you are in the are and have some time to kill or just want to relax and kick back for a bit.

The terrific great idea for outside concerts. They have a great concerts where they bring the…read morenumber of local band to as well as concerts by the greater Greek community Band and Band. Can you just bring chair a blanket set an alarm out, there's a great amphitheater.

Nice park and simple play set but works for the little kids. The highlight for my son was the car…read morehe could sit in and "drive." The area is kept clean and nice.

We love this park! It has lots of different types of climbing sets and slides. It is located under…read moreseveral shade trees. Beautiful landscape and perfect photo opportunities. Located near the water park and several ball fields. There is a walking trail and a large common area that would be great for frisbee.You will not find it difficult to find a parking spot because there are plenty scattered throughout the park. Directly by the play sets there are several picnic tables.

With the recent illness of a family member, I've been spending more time in the Hendricks County…read moreand Putnam County area. On a recent visit, I found myself needing some down time and fresh air. I stopped by Ellis Park, a key park in Danville, Indiana and a park where I used to spend quite a bit of time in my young adult years. Ellis Park is directly off U.S. 36 right as you're getting into the main strip of Danville. It's a 49-acre park with a history tracing back to 1913. At that time, the 49 acres were set aside to protect the wells that provided Danville's water. In 1971, the park was renamed for longtime park superintendent Harve Ellis. Ellis Park is along the White Lick Creek. It's perhaps most known for its historical swinging bridge, however, it has quite a few amenities - shelters, playgrounds, sports fields, restrooms, Gill Family Aquatic Center, an amphitheater, and a "train station" that also can host meetings/events. Ellis Park is a rather nice weaving together of history with quite a few contemporary upgrades. It's incredibly wooded and it's super easy to take some time and just chill out here. The park is also adjacent to the nearby Blanton House Conference and Retreat Center. I definitely love Ellis Park, though every time I visit I can't help but feel like I wish it could be spruced up even more. It's really a centerpiece for Danville and it's definitely well utilized. I've always seen quite a few people here whenever I visit, however, it definitely does still have a bit of an aged feeling. That said, it's my favorite park in Danville and it has been a nice place to decompress during my family's recent challenges.

I was trying to find a place where I could park and get onto the B&O trail and came upon Virgil…read morepark in Brownsburg. This is a small but cozy park with a bicycle path, playground, sitting area, and even some exercise equipment. I didn't have to walk far to get to the B&O trail. There are restrooms and water fountains. I really enjoyed this park and will be back very soon.

Virgil Park is a tribute to Diana and Hall Virgil, who were instrumental in converting the B&O…read moreRailroad Track into Community Trails. The couple raised money and solicited grants in a grass root effort to build the trail that now borders the park. The park itself is small, but well equipped. There are about 20 parking spaces including an ADA space and bike parking. There is a space with upscale outdoor adult exercise equipment. The kid's playground has soft matting and a nice, but small, climbing structure and elevated rock/sand table. There are nice paved and decked walkways that surround a wetland marsh area that attracts birds and a second prairie space. Plenty of nice benches line the trail, making the park ideal for birdwatching. Placards are statistically placed which describe the natural grasslands. There are nice restroom facilities and a water fountain at the park. There is also a covered pavilion with a couple picnic tables. This is a great little park that is accessible from the trail or by road.

Reasons we LOVE Finch Creek Park…read more The park feels safely contained thanks to the hill banks--less worry about little ones wandering off Separate areas for everyone: toddler section, big kid playground, music zone & splash pad So many slides! Open, closed, straight, curved, and different thrill levels Soft padded turf instead of mulch Plenty of seating for parents--swinging benches and picnic tables Swings for all ages: mommy & baby, big kid, chair swings & a swaying bench A walking path all around if mom wants to get her steps in Bathrooms are actually pretty clean (which matters ) This park checks ALL the boxes for an easy, fun outing!

Very mediocre park, lots of things are broken or just dirty.. looks nice from the outside but not…read moreso great. Lots of better parks near by!