Transforming a crumbling monument into a community theatre
By John Jackson
First open to the public in 1899, Riverside Park was once the crown jewel of Indianapolis’ parks and boulevards system. Its modern footprint is 862 acres—22 more than New York’s Central Park. After more than a century, the time had come to reinvigorate Riverside.
The Riverside Regional Park Master Plan was completed in 2017 and set forth a bold vision. From crumbling to rocking, this is the story of how the first project implemented from the plan resulted in a heart transplant for the community.
The Result Of A Robust Planning Process
In 1898, the Board of Park Commissioners and Mayor Thomas Taggart negotiated the purchase of large tracts of land around Indianapolis to form new park and parkway systems in the northwest and northeast parts of the city. The largest was the 953-acre tract along the White River that would become Riverside Park. When it opened in 1899, the park was one of the largest municipal parks in the United States. In its prime, Riverside Park featured some of the city’s most beautiful structures, including a large shelter house, decorative bridges, and boathouses that provided access to the river.