Parks board approves land transfers, construction contracts and change orders

The Indianapolis Board of Parks and Recreation on April 22 approved a series of property transfers, professional services and construction awards and signed off on final change orders for several park projects during a meeting at the City-County Building.

Board members accepted a donation of a small parcel at 10314 Maumee Drive that will be folded into the upcoming Grassy Creek Greenway, approved a transfer of parcels along Winthrop Avenue to the Department of Metropolitan Development (DMD) to allow for redevelopment, authorized a design contract to prepare turf-conversion construction documents for a field at Koons Soccer Stadium and awarded construction contracts for a new splash pad at Dewberry Park and a playground upgrade at Riverside Park. The board also approved two closeout change orders for ongoing playground and Riverside construction work.

The actions are part of the parks department's broader effort to deliver capital projects funded by Lilly Endowment grants and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars and to clear title and ownership questions ahead of redevelopment.

Ben Jackson, senior planner for Indy Parks, told the board the donation at 10314 Maumee Drive is a very small parcel that will transfer from the Parks Alliance of Indianapolis to Indy Parks and be incorporated into the Grassy Creek Greenway. The board approved that transfer as Resolution No. 6.

Andre Denman, principal planner for Indy Parks, described the Winthrop Avenue parcels to be transferred to DMD as just under 4 acres of the site within a larger, approximately 13-acre redevelopment area. Denman said Indy Parks…