Following several years of historic improvements to the city’s parks, Indy Parks and Recreation is proposing a slightly larger budget next year. Here’s a look at how the parks department will invest in staff, facilities and programs, and a peek at the future of the department’s more than 40 pools and splash pads.
What’s in the 2027 parks budget?
Indy Parks is proposing a nearly $54 million budget in 2027, about a 7% increase from last year. The increases to the budget include an adjustment for increased utility costs, more money toward facility maintenance and pay increases for employees.
The department also plans to implement a compensation policy that considers an employee’s responsibilities and tenure for future pay increases. Alex Cortwright, the chief communications officer for Indy Parks, said the new policy will help retain staff.
The future of Indy’s pools
Indy Parks plans to invest $2.5 million in the city’s aquatics facilities next year.
The parks department is also looking into options for the future of the city’s pools and splash pads. At the Aug. 27 budget presentation, department director Brittany Crone said an assessment of the city’s pools will be completed this fall that will show which pools need maintenance.
Crone said several of the pools were built in the 1980s. The aging infrastructure and wear from winter weather can make maintenance expensive. Pools have also had to close earlier in recent years due to staffing shortages. Most pool staff are high school and college students who go back to school in late July or early August. This year’s pool season ended the first weekend of August.
Crone said Indianapolis is not alone in this problem. Cities across the country are moving toward closing down older pools, focusing instead on splash pads and indoor pools. Splash pads are less expensive to run and can stay open longer. And the department can offer more aquatic programs, like swim lessons, at an indoor pool that is open year round and doesn’t rely on seasonal staff.
Cortwright told Mirror Indy that the parks department does not have immediate plans to close any pools nor has it identified what pools would close in the future.
Looking ahead to 2027
Dozens of the city’s playgrounds, sports fields and splash pads have been renovated or built in the past few years. Many of these improvements were made possible through federal funding and grants, including the American Rescue Plan Act and $80 million from the Lilly Endowment. As these funds run out, Indy Parks will rely more on the department’s capital budget.
The parks department has several projects planned for 2027, including the construction of Jack Butler Park, which will be Decatur Township’s first park center. There are also plans to resurface the playground at Juan Solomon Park and make improvements to other park facilities. Construction is also planned for the renovations at Rev. Mozel Sanders Park on the west side.
What happens next
The City-County Council Parks and Recreation Committee voted to approve the Indy Parks proposed budget at its Sept. 10 meeting. The public can comment on the $1.9 billion 2027 city budget Oct. 5 at the City-County Building. The full City-County Council will vote on the budget Oct. 19. The city must send the budget to the state of Indiana for review by Nov. 1.
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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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