INDIANAPOLIS — City officials and community leaders recently to broke ground on a $6.8 million expansion project at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, located at 1702 Broadway. The project will build a new plaza, walkways, landscaping, and expansion of the existing Landmark for Peace monument at the park. The project will also make significant investments in new lighting and security cameras for the park and is scheduled for completion in 2026.
The ground-breaking was held on the 57th anniversary of Robert Kennedy’s speech in Indianapolis when he announced the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968. The speech was widely credited with helping to prevent violence in the city that night, when many other cities across the country saw outbreaks of violence. Kennedy was assassinated only two months later, further connecting the two men’s legacies. The Landmark for Peace memorial was dedicated in 1995 by local, state and national leaders, including former President Bill Clinton and members of the Kennedy and King families. To learn more about the park and its history, visit kennedykingindy.org.
The new plaza will include information about Dr. King, Senator Kennedy, the civil rights movement, and other information from the existing Kennedy King Park Center indoor display. When completed, the site will be elevated to more fully recognize the history of the park and the legacies of Dr. King and Senator Kennedy. Construction will only impact the southern portion of the park and will not limit park access to any amenities other than the Landmark for Peace monument.
