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Carmel to develop 27-acre Bear Creek Park, advance trails and river bridge with bond funds
Summary
City officials said Carmel Clay Parks will use recently approved bond funding to develop the first phase of Bear Creek Park and accelerate trail projects including a White River Greenway extension and a pedestrian bridge to Fishers.
CARMEL, Ind. — Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation will develop the first phase of Bear Creek Park and move ahead on multiple trail and river-access projects using recently approved bond and partnership funding, Parks Director Michael Klitzing told residents at a city town hall.
Klitzing said the new Bear Creek Park sits on about 27 acres in northwest Carmel at the southwest corner of 140th Street and Shelbourne Road and already contains mature trees and natural topography. The first phase — financed with roughly $8 million from the city’s bond issuance and council appropriations — will include trails, children’s play features and initial work on a possible “signature” elevated viewing amenity, he said.
The park plan draws on a 2022 master plan and public input, Klitzing said; the department will begin schematic design and environmental or site studies to confirm what the land supports before final designs and construction. He said the city will announce progress in its Curtain Carmel newsletter and on parks social media.
Beyond Bear Creek, Klitzing outlined several active and planned projects: a new indoor, STEM-focused playground at the Monon Community Center targeting a May opening; an extension of the White River Greenway north to 140th Street with a new trailhead and river overlook; and a pedestrian bridge near the 100th-and-6th Street alignment to connect Hazel Landing Park to Heritage Park in Fishers. Klitzing said the river bridge and White River Greenway north extension are scheduled to open in the fall, funded in part through partnerships and easements including Connor Prairie, Clay Township, Delaware Township, Hamilton County and the city of Fishers.
He also said bond proceeds will underwrite two new greenways: an east–west connection linking the Monon Greenway to Old Meridian and a north–south corridor connecting Main Street to that east–west route. Those larger greenway projects are in early planning stages and likely will take a couple of years to construct.
Residents asked about design details and timing; Klitzing said the department met with nearby schools and held public meetings during master-plan development and will continue outreach as schematic plans and studies progress. He declined to give firm construction dates beyond the seasonal windows they had announced.
The parks director also noted the department’s emphasis on natural play and environmental features, and said the city is aiming for amenities that emphasize both recreation and conservation.
Ending: Parks leaders said they will post schedule updates and design milestones on the parks website and city communications as schematic plans and required site studies conclude. Additional public meetings are planned as the department advances design work and construction schedules.
