INDIANAPOLIS — Mayor Joe Hogsett, City-County Councilor Leroy Robinson, and Indy Parks broke ground Thursday on the renovation of WISH Park, the only city park in Council District 1.
The park is located at 2510 Westlane Road, just east of Michigan Road.
The project started with a Lilly Endowment Grant to Indy Parks for a new playground and grew after Councilor Robinson directed $1 million toward expanding the upgrades.
"For too long, residents of District 1 have lacked access to a true destination park," Robinson said. "This will be a space where families can gather, children can play, and neighbors can take pride in their community."
Mayor Hogsett credited the northwest side community for driving the project forward.
"This WISH Park project is a special one for the City of Indianapolis, because it is one that comes directly from our Northwest Side community," Hogsett said. "Community-backed projects like this are key to ensuring that park upgrades translate to real quality-of-life improvements for our neighbors across Indianapolis."
Renderings of the new playground can be found here.
The investment is part of a larger effort by the city to upgrade more than a third of its 218 parks. Over 40 Indy Parks are currently under construction or pending construction as part of more than $150 million in park investments.
In 2025, a fiscal ordinance approved alongside the City-County Budget gave each district councilor a one-time $1 million allocation for a park or road infrastructure project.
WISH Park is one of four councilor-directed projects currently underway. The others include:
Canterbury Park, where the city will break ground on a new playground, volleyball court, pump track, and other improvements on Monday, March 23.
Robey Park, where a new shelter, comfort station, hard courts, and trail improvements are scheduled to begin construction by summer 2026.
Thompson Park, where a new playground and improved trails and courts began construction in fall 2025, with completion expected summer 2026.
"Parks are more than amenities; they are connectors," said Indy Parks Director Brittany Crone. "The work we begin today will ensure that WISH Park fosters that sense of community in a part of the city that has historically lacked quality city parks."
Construction at WISH Park is expected to wrap up by the end of 2026.
