June 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 68

N R PA U P DAT E

Navigating Indianapolis' 'Circle City'
By Tom Crosley

ost of us have been guilty of this in the past: We visit a conference city for three or four days, returning home and then realizing we only saw the inside of an airport, taxi cab, hotel room
and conference center. So how do we get a meaningful connection with the
conference host city?
A great way to build a connection with the " Circle City " of Indianapolis
and the surrounding area is to take advantage of one of the Off-Site Institutes
(OSI) or Mobile Workshops that we've expanded for the 2018 NRPA Annual
Conference. Here is just a small sampling of some of the highlights:

OSI #6 Garfield Park:
Transforming the City's
Oldest Park
Dating back to 1889, before there
was an official park system in Indianapolis, Garfield Park has been
preserved as a jewel of the George
E. Kessler Park and Boulevard System. There was a time when the
park and the surrounding neighborhood had fallen on hard times
and was avoided by many visitors.
Thanks to passionate neighbors, the
Friends of Garfield Park, the staff,
and local foundations and partners,
the legacy and classic character of
the park have been embraced and
updated to provide amenities and
programs that fit with the artsy
Garfield and neighboring Fountain
Square cultural districts. Attendees will get to explore the Cultural
Trail, Pleasant Run Trail and Garfield Park's sunken gardens, Conservatory, Art and Family Centers,
and programs offered.
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Parks & Recreation

OSI #7 Friends Groups
and Foundations: A Key to
Leveraging Resources for
Your Park
A park can't live on tax dollars alone
- enter the friends group or foundation. These entities are not bound by
the normal restrictions of the local
government and, as such, can get a
tremendous amount done IF everyone is on the same page! We will
visit three Indianapolis parks with
different approaches to community
engagement: Holliday Park, Garfield
Park and Eagle Creek Park.

OSI #13 Indy's Pro Sports
Facilities: In a League of
Their Own
How far are you from a professional grade facility? Maybe not as far
as you think! We'll look at some local facilities, give folks time to ask
some questions, and dive in to how
each sports franchise gives back to
the community.

| J U N E 2 0 1 8 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

Mobile Workshop:
Connecting People to the
White River Through the
Riverside Park Master Plan
Regional Park, a 862-acre park
along the White River, is the second-largest public space in Indianapolis. However, development
pressures, changing trends, budget challenges, as well as a community that's disconnected from
the White River because of pollution and flood-control structures
resulted in the need for a master
plan. This session will review the
park's master planning process
with an emphasis on how this
plan is part of a larger effort to
restore the White River, including promoting stewardship and
appreciation for the river through
recreational opportunities for residents. Join our adventure to envision the future Riverside Park
through a bike ride and a float
down the river.
Preregistration is required for
each OSI and Mobile Workshop
and these opportunities to explore
the host city fill up fast. So, I encourage you to check out the full
list of workshops at www.nrpa.
org/conference-training, today.
- Tom Crosley, NRPA's Senior
Manager of Education

June 2018 - Parks & Recreation

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