Contact Holliday Park Foundation

6363 Spring Mill Road
Indianapolis, Indiana 46260
(317) 475-9482

Board of Directors

Officers

William Hirsch, President
Tricia Lautenbach, Vice President
Christine Woodward-Duncan, Vice President
Margaret E. Weeks, Treasurer
Karen Valencic, Secretary

Members

Andrew Apple
Toye Begbaaji
Patricia Brummer
Margaret Coyle
Fred Emhardt
Amy Franklin
Christine Freiman
Sam Hawkins
Lisa Hurst
Ray Kennedy
Sara Kunz
Ruth Adams Linsmith
Rodney Mail M.D.
Mandla Moyo
Allyson Podell
Neal Roach
Emily Rosiello
Doug Rubenstein
Anne Scheele
Christy Scofield
Julian Stephenson
Michael Turner M.D.
Susan Woods

Holliday Park Foundation Staff

Adam Barnes,
Executive Director

Holliday Park Staff

Daniel Boritt, Park Manager
Amy Lamar, Assistant Park Manager
Mallory Kirby, Naturalist/Day Camp Coordinator
Katie Neill, Office Manager/Volunteer Coordinator

A Catalyst for Action

Incorporated in 1990, the Holliday Park Foundation (HPF) is a private, non-profit organization that has facilitated a lasting community-led effort to expand Holliday Park programs and amenities beyond the baseline services provided by the city budget. The Foundation articulates a vision for the park, helps ensure a commitment to high standards, and works in partnership with the City to improve a valuable public asset.

Supported by donors and guided by a board of directors, HPF has provided vision, leadership and fundraising to accomplish capital improvements, program enhancement and maintenance in the park. Over the past 30 years, HPF has built the popular Holliday Park playground and restroom pavilion, financed a master plan, renovated trails, refurbished the rock garden, organized the annual Trail Run and Rock the Ruins events, and provided marketing and financial support for educational programming. HPF’s most significant contributions have been securing funding for the construction of the Nature Center, the renovation of the historic Ruins, and the establishment of a maintenance and operations endowment to support Holliday Park in perpetuity.

The Holliday Park Foundation has a proven record of accomplishment as an organization that has rescued a public park with private dollars. It has been recognized as an outstanding model of a public/private partnership. With careful consideration, planning and cooperation among HPF, Indy Parks and the greater Indianapolis community, we can achieve our goal of ensuring Holliday Park continues to be a public asset that can be enjoyed by everyone, every day. The proof is in the park.

Donate to the Holliday Park Foundation to support Holliday Park.

Holliday Park Foundation Timeline

January 1990

Friends of Holiday Park Founded

Over the years, Holliday Park had been neglected and developed a reputation as a place that was unsafe to visit. A group of neighbors met and decided to develop an organization of volunteers to maintain and preserve the park. The Friends of Holliday Park was born.

May 1992

Holliday Park Playground Completed

As its first major initiative, the Friends of Holliday Park raised $400,000 to build a playground that would bring children and families back to the park. Mayor Goldsmith recognized the Friends’ contribution as an important model for other neighborhood groups working in other city parks.

April 2000

Holliday Park Nature Center

In an effort to fulfil John and Evaline Holliday’s wish that the park be used as ‘a place for recreation and the study of nature’, in 1995 Friends of Holliday Park launched a campaign to raise $5 million dollars to construct a nature center. Since opening, the extraordinary 13,000 square foot building has served over a million visitors.

August 2006

Holliday Park Playground Renovation

The original wooden playground installed in 1992 came to the end of its lifespan. Friends of Holliday Park worked in cooperation with Indy Parks to raise over $500,000 to replace all the playground components with state-of-the art equipment.

April 2010

20th Anniversary

Friends of Holliday Park celebrates its 20th Anniversary and launches the ‘Priceless Asset In Need’ Capital Campaign with a goal of raising $3.2 million dollars to renovate the Ruins and Nature Center Exhibit Hall.

August 2012

Rock Garden and Trails

Friends of Holliday Park began an on-going effort to improve the trail system. Safety and erosion issues were addressed, and an overall emphasis on improving visitor experience was prioritized. Over the years, the historic Rock Garden has been renovated, many trails have been re-routed and improved, and a number of durable limestone staircases have been installed.

April 2015

Habitat Hall

After successfully raising $650,000, Friends of Holliday Park hired Taylor Studios to redesign the 2,000 square foot exhibit hall in the nature center. The new Habitat Hall focuses on the idea that ‘The Wonder of Nature is Yours to Discover and Share’ and serves over 50,000 visitors annually.

September 2016

Ruins Renovation

One of the most iconic elements of Holliday Park had been in disrepair for over 20 years. A $2 million dollar renovation designed by local architects Eric Fulford and Ann Reed features expansive gardens, an interactive water feature and numerous gathering spaces. The Ruins have once again become an open, safe and inviting place for the public- the centerpiece of the park.

May 2020

Playground Pavilion

Friends of Holliday Park recognized the longstanding need to provide a shaded pavilion and adequate restroom facilities in order to best serve our playground visitors. Donors generously contributed $500,000 to construct a Pavilion that boasts three single-stall restrooms and a covered shelter with seating for 50. Visitors, especially those with young children, now can stay longer and enjoy their visit more.

June 2020

Holliday Park Foundation

Friends of Holliday Park evolves to become the Holliday Park Foundation. This organizational change allows us to strengthen our impact as we strive to expand Holliday Park’s role in improving environmental education, conservation, health and wellness, and social equity in Indianapolis.