INDIANAPOLIS— For the first time, Indy Parks is partnering with AmeriCorps on park beautification projects.
WRTV Investigates uncovered it’s one of the many ways Indy Parks are looking for outside help in improving our park system.
AmeriCorps is a federal agency that provides service and volunteer opportunities.
Amaya Stowers, from Tipton, is an AmeriCorps member working on improving the Indy World Sports Park on the east side.
“It's really rewarding that you can see it in your community with your friends and family and reap the benefits with the community,” said Stowers.
The park’s community center was overgrown with weeds, but volunteers and AmeriCorps members removed them and planted perennials.
“Going into the front entrance to a facility, you want to make sure it's welcoming and inviting,” said Bryce Patz, manager of park improvements at Indy Parks.
Some parks are not so inviting.
This summer WRTV Investigates visited 10% of the city’s parks across the city including north, south, east, west and central.
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While some parks were in great condition, others look forgotten.
- 50% had issues with high weeds, especially in the mulch areas of playgrounds
- 25% had problems with trash
- 30% had broken or very faded/outdated playground equipment
Some say the problem is the fragmented way the city maintains its parks.
Currently, Indy Parks & Recreation can address things like broken playground equipment and bathrooms.
But another city agency, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works (DPW), is responsible for trash, mowing and weed removal.
DPW does some of the work themselves, but it also contracts with 5 companies to do the work.
WRTV Investigates filed a records request and learned the city paid the 5 contractors $641,288 in 2023.
Mayor Joe Hogsett told WRTV he is working to improve this maintenance system.
The Indianapolis City County Council just approved a 16 percent budget increase for Indy Parks, bringing them from $45 million in 2024 to $53.8 million in 2025.
Despite the increase, the city still needs outside help from groups like AmeriCorps, park foundations like Eagle Creek and Friends of Garfield Park, as well as volunteers.
“We need help, absolutely,” said Bryce Patz, manager of park improvements at Indy Parks. “We can assign you a project based on your skillset, your time. We will partner you up that way. It's a great way to get involved, but also learn the challenges that we have. "
The city’s strategy is to give parks more shelf life so there’s less to maintain in the future.
Gustafson Park on the west side was nearing the end of its life span and recently received an $800,000 facelift including a rubberized surface, which replaced the mulch.
“With this surface, we are looking at roughly 15 to 20 year lifespan," said Alex Cortwright, a spokesperson for Indy Parks.
The city’s goal is to renovate 40 percent of the city’s playgrounds by 2026.
- WRTV Investigates: Some people are going to say, I pay my tax dollars, why are we relying on volunteers on top of all these tax dollars?
- Cortwright: We are up to 217 parks across the city. The best way to reach that efficiently is with more than just the IndyParks staff. We really want to stretch our resources.
The city is investing a historic $142 million in parks over several years, thanks to funding from:
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The city is also adding wooden fencing to protect the playgrounds from cars.
WRTV Investigates saw the problem firsthand—during interviews, WRTV took video of cars driving through parks and peeling through their parking lots.
"It gets back to treating things with respect,” said Cortwright.
The future of Indy Parks relies on you, said Corwright, so people need to clean up after themselves.
“Do what you can to make it beautiful,” said AmeriCorps member Amaya Stowers.
If you’re interested in volunteering or donating to help make your parks better, click here.
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