The New Holliday Park Playground is Almost Here!

A Nature-Inspired Hub Fostering Community, Education, and Play

After years of planning, design, and community support, the new Holliday Park Playground will be open on Sunday, November 2!

Join us for a Grand Opening Celebration from 1:00-4:00 p.m., featuring snacks, refreshments, and nature-inspired activities. This free, family-friendly event celebrates an incredible community achievement: a new chapter of play, connection, and discovery at Holliday Park for generations to come. 

Designed to reflect the natural beauty of Holliday Park, the playground features:

• Age-appropriate play zones for all abilities
• Nature-themed climbing, swinging, sliding, and exploration areas
• A redesigned entry court, gathering spaces, and parking for improved accessibility
• Innovative play equipment that encourages creativity and connection

Parking is available in three lots: near the playground, west of the Ruins, and near the Nature Center.

Learn more about the Holliday Park Foundation here.

We can’t wait to see you on November 2!

Project Recap:

The Holliday Park Foundation, in coordination with the City of Indianapolis, Indy Parks, and design team, REA, is excited to reimagine the existing playground at the south end of the park. More than just a refresh of playground equipment, HPF is seeking to create an inclusive, engaging, versatile and vibrant commons that will serve as one of the city’s iconic open spaces.

The new playground and park space amenities, welcoming to all and planned with purpose, will attract residents and visitors throughout the year and seek to fulfill the mission of the Holliday Park Foundation by “preserving, enhancing, and maintaining Holliday Park as a place for community, recreation and the study of nature.”

A Playground for Generations

The Holliday Park playground is an essential space where children develop their physical, emotional, social, and imaginative skills. These skills help them gain self-confidence, advance their critical thinking skills, and improve coordination. Our design will take advantage of advancements in play equipment to create a space that is fun, engaging and incorporates the feedback we received from the community.

What We Heard: Major Themes Developed Through Public Input Process

• Reflect Holliday Park’s natural setting
• Incorporporate creative and imaginative play features and activities
• Accommodate connected and dedicated age-appropriate play spaces
• Increase awareness of and connectivity to other park areas
• Create a pleasant, comfortable, and accessible visitor experience
• Establish a signature, destination play experience and gathering space

Main Project Elements

• Entry Court: Welcoming gateway orienting visitors to the space.
• Central Lawn and Shelter: Central gathering area with sight lines to main play spaces.
• Toddler Play: Whimsical play features that encourage social play.
• Timber Tower and Climbing Structures: Variety of swings, slides and towers.
• Nature Exploration: Creative elements that encourage exploration, discovery and imagination.
• Ravine: Hillside climbing and slides utilizing the natural topography of the site.

If you’d like to see more renderings, including examples of play elements, click here to view the full conceptual design from REA.