The far east side is now home to a new environmental center and the city’s largest playground.
On May 20, Community leaders celebrated the opening of Grassy Creek Environmental Community Center and its on-site nature playground. The environmental center and playground are additions to Grassy Creek Park, 10510 E. 30th St.
Grassy Creek is the city’s fourth park that focuses on nature and the environment, joining Holliday, Southeastway and Eagle Creek. The playground features colorful equipment — including a zip line and nature-inspired climbing structures.
The additions of the park include a trail that connects to the rest of Grassy Creek Park. The environmental center also has several community rooms for programming and will be available to rent. Indy Parks said programming will be focused on environmental education. The center also features a bird watching room with outdoor speakers and bird identification pictures.
The $12 million project was funded through Indy Parks and Recreation’s Circle City Forward Initiative and the Lilly Endowment.
Grassy Creek is the fourth and final park to be completed under the Circle City Forward Initiative, following improvements to Frederick Douglass Park, Riverside Park and Krannert Park. Mayor Joe Hogsett announced the $45 million initiative in 2021.
Hogsett said parks are vital to the community, adding that the investments are more than just recreational spaces.
“We are creating centers of education and enrichment that will shape our youth for generations to come, which was one of the many reasons the Circle City Forward Initiative was launched four years ago,” he said.
Phyllis Boyd, director of Indy Parks, said the new additions to Grassy Creek touch on three aspects of quality of life — community, nature and play.
“The programming that our staff has planned will help connect residents of all ages to nature, both inside and outside of this building,” Boyd said.
Samantha Douglas, president of the Far Eastside Community Council, said her own kids are excited to play on the new playground.
“There’s nothing like this anywhere else,” Douglas said. “I’m so excited to see what it looks like when the community really is able to get into this, and all the kids are able to explore and discover new things.”
She said thoughtful development like the park is needed on the far east side, and hopes this is just the beginning of future developments.
“I made the joke that it was nice to see something going on other than housing additions,” Douglas said. “This is a beautiful testament, and a stepping stone, to all of the incredible investment and development that the far east side needs.”
This summer, Indy Parks and the Department of Public Works will begin construction on an expanded Grassy Creek Trail that will connect to County Line Road and Mitthoeffer Road.
The environmental community center will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays. The playground and park grounds will be open daily from dawn to dusk.
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Mirror Indy reporter Darian Benson covers east Indianapolis. Contact her at 317-397-7262 or darian.benson@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @HelloImDarian or on Bluesky @darianbenson.bsky.social.
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