Indianapolis’ Sandorf Park Chosen for 2018 Parks Build Community Project

Ashburn, Virginia, March 14, 2018 -- The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), Indy Parks and the Indianapolis Parks Foundation are proud to announce that Sandorf Park has been chosen for NRPA’s 2018 Parks Build Community project. Located near south side Indianapolis, the park will undergo a complete renovation as donors and local companies alike come together to transform the area into a vibrant public space where residents of all ages can gather and play. The park will be unveiled Sept. 23, 2018, during the NRPA Annual Conference in Indianapolis.               

Created in 1959, Sandorf Park not only serves the needs of the diverse community surrounding it, but it is also adjacent to a school. The school — SUPER School at Frederick Douglass IPS School 19 — specializes in kinesthetic learning where students are encouraged to keep moving throughout the school day, making the park a critical piece of the school’s programming and activities. As part of this project, a variety of new features will be added to the park, including state-of-the-art play structures, outdoor exercise equipment, a zipline, a portable movie screen, water fountains and a multipurpose court for futsal and soccer. The existing basketball court will be renovated, as well. 

“At NRPA, we believe everyone deserves a great park. That’s why we’re thrilled to partner with Indy Parks and the Indianapolis Parks Foundation on our ninth Parks Build Community project,” said Barbara Tulipane, NRPA president and CEO. “The entire community will benefit from this project, which wouldn’t be possible without the help of our donors whose generous contributions help drive this important initiative.”    

Donors for this year’s Parks Build Community project include:

“Indy Parks is so excited to welcome 8,000 parks professionals to this year’s conference and to show off Sandorf Park and its well-deserved makeover,” said Linda Broadfoot, Indy Parks director. “Sandorf Park is a popular destination for students and their teachers as it serves as a daily gathering place for fitness, building upon the healthy habits children learn in the classroom and at home. Together, we are transforming this beautiful park into an even better play space, and it’s really going to be an amazing addition to the neighborhood and our city.”  

“The Indianapolis Parks Foundation is proud to focus our efforts on identifying and managing resources for parks that equitably improve quality of life, connect people to places and build community,” said Lori Hazlett, Indianapolis Parks Foundation president. “We are grateful to the partners who have stepped up to help us connect resources to needs to make Sandorf Park a truly transformational park.”

Local partners have contributed more than $500,000 in donated services to transform Sandorf Park, including The Schneider Corporation, Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf, CHA Consulting, Inc. and Meyer Najem. 

NRPA’s Parks Build Community is a national initiative aimed at demonstrating the transformative value of parks on the health and vitality of communities across America. To learn more about the Parks Build Community initiative, watch this video and follow the hashtag #ParksBuildCommunity.

To learn more about supporting this Parks Build Community project, click here.

To learn more about NRPA, visit www.nrpa.org. 

To learn more about Indy Parks, visit www.indy.gov/parks.

To learn more about the Indianapolis Parks Foundation, visit www.indyparksfoundation.org.  

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About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.

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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f4ae2ba0-aeda-4503-b80c-72aa2e49640c

Heather Williams
National Recreation and Park Association
703-858-4743
[email protected]