Indianapolis parks board approves land transfers, playground and fountain projects; Friends of Garfield Park seek maintenance endowment

The Board of Parks and Recreation for the Consolidated City of Indianapolis on April 22 approved a series of land transfers, contract awards and change orders for park projects across the city and heard a presentation from the Friends of Garfield Park about a rebuilt fountain and ongoing fundraising.

Board chair and parks director Phyllis Boyd called the meeting to order and introduced the items. Senior planner Ben Jackson asked the board to accept a donated parcel at 10314 Maumee Drive, describing it as "a segment of the property at, 10314 Maumee Drive" needed for the Grassy Creek Greenway corridor; the board approved the recommendation as Resolution No. 6.

The board approved transferring several parcels along Winthrop Avenue (the area described in the meeting as "the Bulge," adjacent to the Monon and west of Douglas Park) from the Department of Parks and Recreation to the Department of Metropolitan Development, contingent on an agreement with DMD that a developer set aside four acres for a public dog park. Principal planner Andre Denman told the board that "we do have an agreement with DMD, that any developer that, develops this site, will, make a public dog park, set aside for acres." The board approved that transfer as Resolution No. 7.

On construction and professional services, the board authorized a not-to-exceed $71,500 design contract with Schmidt Associates to prepare construction documents to…