Indianapolis, Indiana – A new chapter in community investment unfolded on the Far Eastside of Indianapolis as Mayor Joe Hogsett, City-County Councilor Rena Allen, and representatives from Indy Parks officially opened the Grassy Creek Environmental Community Center and its sprawling new nature playground. The long-anticipated project, supported by the city’s Circle City Forward Initiative and a grant from the Lilly Endowment, represents a major leap in creating educational and recreational opportunities for residents of the area.
Grassy Creek Park, already one of the city’s largest parks at over 240 acres, now joins an elite group of Indianapolis parks focused on environmental education alongside Eagle Creek, Holliday, and Southeastway Parks. The addition of the new center and the largest nature playground in the Indy Parks system underscores the city’s growing commitment to environmental learning and family-friendly spaces.
Mayor Hogsett emphasized that the park is more than a place to play. “The City of Indianapolis is thrilled to unveil these new Grassy Creek Park amenities to our Far Eastside neighbors. Enhancements like these are transforming our city’s parks into more than just recreational spaces,” he said. “We are creating centers of education and enrichment that will shape our youth for generations to come, which was one of the many reasons the Circle City Forward Initiative was launched four years ago.”
The new community center includes several multipurpose rooms that will host programs and events for all ages. These spaces will also be available for community use and rentals. Nearby, the nature-themed playground offers children a safe and imaginative environment to explore and connect with the outdoors—without straying far from home.
The Grassy Creek development marks the final major project in the city’s ambitious Circle City Forward Initiative, a $45 million investment launched in 2021 to revitalize park infrastructure citywide. That plan also funded the $20 million Frederick Douglass Park Family Center (opened in 2024), the $11 million Riverside Promenade Trail and Adventure Park (with the latter opening just weeks ago), and a $7 million renovation of the Krannert Park Family Center.
Councilor Rena Allen praised the city’s dedication to the Far Eastside. “This is a proud moment for our residents on the Far Eastside,” she said. “Grassy Creek Park has long been a source of pride for our neighbors, and these new investments reflect what this community deserves – beautiful, safe, and inspiring spaces for our families to gather, learn, and grow. I’m grateful to Mayor Joe Hogsett, Indy Parks, and community advocates who made this vision a reality.”
While the center and playground opened to the public today, additional enhancements are already on the horizon. This summer, construction will begin on an expanded Grassy Creek Trail, a project led by Indy Parks and the Indianapolis Department of Public Works. Funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment via the Central Indiana Community Foundation, the expanded trail will stretch from County Line Road in the east to Mitthoefer Road in the west. This extension is expected to significantly improve pedestrian and cycling connectivity on the city’s east side.
In 2021, Indy Parks also acquired an additional 75 acres of land that was folded into the larger Grassy Creek Park footprint. This protected greenspace now makes the park one of the largest in the city—providing ample room for future enhancements and preserving valuable natural resources.
Phyllis Boyd, Director of Indy Parks, spoke to the broader significance of the park project. “The impact of Circle City Forward has been felt across the city with landmark projects like these new amenities at Grassy Creek Park,” Boyd said. “At its core, this new center and playground gets to three essential aspects of quality of life: community, access to nature, and play.”
Indeed, Grassy Creek Park now offers a destination where children can climb, run, and learn in nature’s classroom, while adults can gather, host events, or simply enjoy the peaceful green surroundings. The project also builds on long-standing efforts to ensure equitable park access and investment in historically underserved neighborhoods.
As the sun rose on the official opening this morning, families, city officials, and local leaders gathered with excitement and gratitude. What was once a vision has now become a dynamic community resource—one that is open from dawn to dusk and invites the entire city to come experience the outdoors in a new and meaningful way.
With the completion of Grassy Creek’s new amenities, the Circle City Forward Initiative closes a major chapter—but the park’s story, and its promise to the community, is just beginning.
