INDIANAPOLIS — Indy Parks recently unveiled progress on the new playspace at Sandorf Park, 2020 Dawson St., which is currently undergoing a makeover. This 6.5-acre park is located on the city’s near southside and is adjacent to Frederick Douglass IPS School 19. The park will not reopen to the public until December 2020.
In 2018, the park was selected for a massive makeover as Indianapolis hosted the National Recreation and Park Association Conference. Upon prepping the site for work and discovering industrial sand, Indy Parks immediately closed the park and suspended improvement plans. Following the stoppage, the City has worked with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to put together a future redevelopment plan that adheres to regulatory standards. The remediation plan included the removal and replacement of two feet of soil across the property.
In March 2020, Indy Parks began construction on the new playspace, and redevelopment efforts will continue through the fall. A ribbon ceremony could occur later this year with the playspace officially reopening in the Spring 2021.
The newly redesigned Sandorf Park will feature a color coated Junior NBA Basketball Court with new goals, and a Triple Threat Pump Track for skateboarding and riding bikes. Several other features will be added offering outdoor exercise equipment and the state’s first Multi Use Game Area (MUGA) court, an innovative feature allowing for basketball, futsal, volleyball, pickleball, and more, all in one place.
The space will also include a 24 x 44 family shelter, swings and a unity spinner, a social interaction area, and a musical sensory plaza. Throughout the new space, Sandorf Park will retain its openness between the school and the park allowing for easier access to the play areas.
