[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6647503,"mediaKeyId","2522212-1ff4243c61ed47c8a39f30bc312da6de","parentId",2522212,"title","Councilors press parks officials for clearer process on homeless encampments after Garfield Park cleanup","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",3325000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2522212-1ff4243c61ed47c8a39f30bc312da6de&start=3325&end=3325","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2522212-1ff4243c61ed47c8a39f30bc312da6de/thumbnail_3325000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6647503/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Councilors-press-parks-officials-for-clearer-process-on-homeless-encampments-after-Garfield-Park-cleanup","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6647503-2fd2ca970797bbb935ba815a2c011de3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771046539&Signature=ZVjLSadPvQ8evc2SSVSHR5EnG8sEIjFNX~BghxepD9RmgtbTtZgtWPdnKfiYDxLXzRGg5RHZ4lsmNt~a6APDA9ZQO60DC3Z04NY7Istxm4t5r4JtV7fkoYBorhmgwtQlWqe4-lstj4Ltvqvf0xlM0OOwDu4dfjtUN4LaEYQ5uEgSa7UDUDPFQ-~LnsaZ2A4~Ye2rAN47iSLlGHcx0WrMRB14F1kvsI1WTJaP1uNcgFUySHX~cLYILjoMxaoPMUwAAAhQOGGW7Kh9pOgiwC5k~c2H9fZlGpUiy-fe-XncVxEQni0qzn0TbVg0lKDucC70cN5bRg9PIEHAheyakfM5cg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Indianapolis, IN","date","2025-03-06T00:00:00Z","article","Councilors pressed Parks and Recreation officials on March 6 for clearer procedures after councilors and residents raised concerns about the time it took to clear homeless encampments and the condition of some parks, citing Garfield Park as an example.

Councilor Jared Evans asked staff to “talk me through the process” for responding to homeless camps. Director Boyd said the process usually involves coordination between the Office of Public Health and Safety (OPHS), the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) and professional blended service organizations that engage people living in encampments. Boyd said outreach providers attempt engagement and that the timeline for moving people varies with each case.

Deputy Director Don Colvin said OPHS and IMPD’s homeless unit typically respond when a camp is reported and that professional service providers try to connect residents to services. “If someone is not willing to receive and reciprocate that help, then I think at that point we need to move to removal from the park immediately before it becomes a much more disastrous situation,” Boyd said.

Councilor Ms. Gary (recorded as Gary in the transcript) cited the city ordinance that prohibits overnight stays in parks and urged more immediate action, saying the ordinance means “if they're in here 1 night, they're out.” She also said service offers were refused in some cases and that the concentration of encampments is higher on the city’s southeast and southwest sides. Another councilor said Fountain Square currently has multiple tents and expressed concern that no enforcement was being recorded there.

Councilors acknowledged the complexity of the issue — balancing outreach and not criminalizing homelessness while addressing public-safety concerns. Several members asked staff to clarify roles among park rangers, code enforcement, OPHS and IMPD and to develop a process that prevents prolonged encampments and rapid deterioration of park conditions.

No formal policy changes or votes were taken at the meeting. Staff described the response as a coordinated effort that prioritizes outreach first and removal when individuals refuse services; councilors asked staff to revisit the process and report back with any proposals for speeding response times or clarifying interagency responsibilities.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council of Indianapolis, IN - Council Parks and Recreation Committee - Mar 06, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Councilors asked Indy Parks how encampments are identified, serviced and removed after a messy Garfield Park site prompted concerns; staff said Office of Public Health and Safety and IMPD coordinate outreach and removal when people decline services.","taxTitle","Indianapolis City, Marion County, Indiana","taxId",3627,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6647508,"Indy Parks outlines $8 million in spring projects and MLK Gateway memorial plan",106,602000,708000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2522212-1ff4243c61ed47c8a39f30bc312da6de&start=602&end=708","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2522212-1ff4243c61ed47c8a39f30bc312da6de/thumbnail_602000.jpg","/articles/6647508/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Indy-Parks-outlines-8-million-in-spring-projects-and-MLK-Gateway-memorial-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6647508-64cfe96946f3838aa0e75598744b792a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771046539&Signature=KuHOU8sFJGk4nBL~3iPyCj~wb31woIFx48vCKgX00GPiQzq1RzIqzfTgmfWx67ehSSjZFhEu4B2jwltOeGwtbgaWQQ4mUnN8-vCNLaYQLiuXsAn--HZWCP61TTshKfndBr8vIrpo5lwcUJR8w6fpJzbBsXyg0XRnpC7-MkhF1VhjvZq-NIadVDvEdUl56atthxoi8rPH2CVL-qC5aG1M~L3c7lpb1p~paYhxp3Mv9mjeQqROGAViTD3tVW5Ipo33kMj7lsH9F5NuHR~ntBCmbDsmTKWiQEp28NI1b5BgUsoCYlgwfdl~8qutq8ZuIJd0H528VqMsmu2WEb70CHOeyQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Director Boyd, Parks and Recreation director, told the Parks and Recreation Committee on March 6 that the department has kicked off its construction season with groundbreakings at Tarkington and Chapel Hill parks and that construction will soon begin at Franklin Township Community Park. She said those endowment- and grant-funded projects represent “over $8,000,000 in major park improvements across the city.”

Boyd announced a planned April 4 groundbreaking at 11 a.m. for the Martin Luther King Jr. Gateway project, a $6,800,000 effort she described as transforming the southern end of the park into a major memorial tied to the city’s historical MLK and Robert F. Kennedy engagements.

The department also reported that summer camp registration is open; Boyd said a range of camps — traditional, sports, art and environmental education — will be offered and that scholarships were available last year and are expected again. Seasonal hiring is underway; the department is offering a $500 sign-on bonus for summer positions (camp counselors, lifeguards and similar roles) that will be available through early April.

Boyd said a Drive and Dish food distribution program launched at Frederick Douglass Park in partnership with Gleaners and Pacers Sports & Entertainment, initially serving 45 households and expanded to 75 households the week of the meeting. She said the program will expand to additional sites this year where needs are highest.

Deputy Director Don Colvin presented a detailed capital-improvement overview. Colvin said 11 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) playground and park projects are complete and four others will open soon. He described the 2025 proposed capital-improvement budget as the department’s annual property-tax–derived funding for maintenance and new projects, and cited a figure of $5,000,865 for the department’s annual capital budget.

Colvin outlined city and philanthropic funding sources supporting recent and upcoming work, citing ARPA, the Lilly Endowment, Circle City Forward and HUD-funded projects run in coordination with the Department of Metropolitan Development (DMD). He said playground replacements generally use higher-quality, lower-maintenance materials and that modern playgrounds can cost from roughly $500,000 to $3,000,000 depending on scale; the department is moving to poured-in-place rubber surfacing for accessibility and durability on many sites.

Colvin provided project-level updates on multiple parks, noting delays when outside approvals or permits are required (for example, drainage permits for Brookside Memorial Grove) and explaining that master plans often list future elements such as shelters or expanded courts that can be added later when funding allows. He described the mix of design, permitting, bidding and interagency review steps that extend timelines for projects.

The presentation listed ongoing maintenance and replacement items — pool liners ($85,000 each cited), roof replacements, greenhouse repairs at the Garfield Conservatory and mechanical repairs to slides and splash features. Colvin said the department aims to phase major projects when full funding is not immediately available and to recycle soil and other materials between sites when permitted to reduce costs.

Several councilors thanked staff for constituent outreach on contentious projects and asked for materials to share with residents. Colvin said a packet with project schedules and the proposed 2025 capital plan is available for councilors. He invited councilors to planned public meetings for master-plan development on larger properties such as Grassy Creek Regional Park and a donated 26-acre site in the south side that staff is evaluating for adaptive reuse.

No votes were taken on budget items or project approvals at the meeting; the presentation served as an informational update.

Upcoming public events announced included the MLK Gateway groundbreaking on April 4 at 11 a.m. and continued community engagement opportunities on master plans and site designs.","Indy Parks told the Parks and Recreation Committee it has started construction season projects funded by ARPA, Lilly Endowment and other sources, and announced an April 4 groundbreaking for a $6.8 million MLK Gateway memorial.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6647514,"Committee appoints Damon King to Indianapolis Greenways Development Committee",479,91000,570000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2522212-1ff4243c61ed47c8a39f30bc312da6de&start=91&end=570","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2522212-1ff4243c61ed47c8a39f30bc312da6de/thumbnail_91000.jpg","/articles/6647514/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/Committee-appoints-Damon-King-to-Indianapolis-Greenways-Development-Committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6647514-7bc84ce17da64b55efe501b1935912d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771046539&Signature=kZjP~XfImgrsZ3N~BSeS~WcYewAtBadqAzbfFSiJyjdQtK5OJJEO3myLrUNZrDZmDWvCByYmze5ptplNzdqFXGGKEYgWZxK9Q1uH31UiZXACYLSHa0hEIbnItIjNAXSQdQh~yREK3lWNVIEAfG3SEda2szhkjAo~Rnx~0M~rDTBiFAsOzJH8Z33eZyOdWTaZdLemQAaNQDyz69VLe~L16Tdrx4hQ~qSgsMPFh60MoJn6r8VGRamu9Va-IkX-vHYzgQfmYlYIHlR9LgBXgYQApK7oE1y73x-A~aD54xW1N6ZO~svnrtzd8uGmiMuDkfWn31eDVYgG1hreFnEhPtbDBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Parks and Recreation Committee of the Indianapolis–Marion County City–County Council voted to appoint Damon King to the Indianapolis Greenways Development Committee at its March 6 meeting.

King told the committee he is an “avid bike rider for, about 15 years here in Indianapolis” and said his favorite trail is the Fall Creek Trail. He said he applied after a friend mentioned the committee and that he wants “to do whatever we can to improve the Greenway's development in the city of Indianapolis.”

Why it matters: the Greenways Development Committee is an advisory body that the parks department and Department of Public Works use for community input on trail use, signage, connectivity and safety. Committee members and staff described the group as a liaison between neighborhoods and city departments rather than a fundraising or enforcement body.

Deputy Director Don Colvin, representing Indy Parks, told councilors the committee has historically advised on issues such as whether certain personal mobility devices should be allowed on trails and helped shape signage and connectivity work. “This committee has been extremely valuable over the years, helping us decide kind of the appropriate use of our greenways,” Colvin said.

Councilors asked how the committee interfaces with city departments. King described the committee role as “a liaison between the community and those departments,” and Colvin said the committee brings grassroots perspectives back to technical staff. Several councilors asked that committee representatives provide periodic updates to the Parks and Recreation Committee; one councilor suggested quarterly memo updates to the committee chair.

A motion to appoint King was made and seconded; the committee approved the appointment by voice vote. There was no roll-call tally given on the record.

The committee welcomed King and thanked him for volunteering. Councilor Jared Evans told King, “thank you for volunteering,” after a brief round of remarks and light exchanges during the appointment discussion.

No further action on the appointment was announced at the meeting.","The Parks and Recreation Committee voted to appoint Damon King to the Indianapolis Greenways Development Committee after hearing his remarks about cycling and greenway safety.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Councilors press parks officials for clearer process on homeless encampments after Garfield Park cleanup

Indy Parks outlines $8 million in spring projects and MLK Gateway memorial plan

Committee appoints Damon King to Indianapolis Greenways Development Committee