ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CITY OF LAWRENCE Steve Collier- Mayor Eric Martin- Director of Parks and Recreation STUDY REVIEW COMMITTEE Judy Byron Dan Kurowski Shawn Denney Joe Murphy Michael Desanto Grant Nesbit Kevin Dungee Jenny Sera Aletha Dunston Jeff Vest Sherron Freeman Trace Yates Brad Klopfenstein STAKEHOLDERS Jeff Vest, Parks Boad President Tom Burns, Parks Boad Member Amy Norman, Parks Boad Member Karen Taylor, Parks Boad Member Helen Taylor, Parks Boad Member Trace Yates, Parks Foundation Director DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION 5301 N Franklin Rd, Lawrence, IN 46226 (317) 545-7275 PREPARED BY PREPARED Reserved for Adoption Resolution PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN 3 4 CITY OF LAWRENCE TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION What is the purpose of a Parks and Recreation Master Plan? 10 What are the benefits of parks and recreation? 10 What does Parks and Recreation look like in Lawrence? 12 Parks Board History 14 Organizational Structure 14 Organizational Chart 2020 17 Recent Efforts 19 How to Use This Document 19 CHAPTER 2 COMMUNITY PROFILE Demographics 22 Economics 28 Key Conclusions 29 The Natural Environment 30 The Built Environment 32 PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN 5 CHAPTER 3 PARK INVENTORY Our System 38 Park Classifications 40 Neighborhood 40 Community 40 Regional 40 Special Use 40 Accessibility 42 Explorer Park 44 Oaklandon Park 46 Richardt (Soccer) Park 48 Alexander Park 50 Eugene Burns Park 52 Louis J. Jenn Memorial Park 54 Lee Road Park 56 Veterans Park 58 Lawrence Community Park 60 Bragdon Wetlands Park 62 Sterrett Center 64 Fort Harrison State Park 66 CHAPTER 4 NEEDS ANALYSIS Level Of Service 70 How Does The Park System Compare To Local, Regional, And National Standards? 72 Key Findings 74 Overall System Evaluation 76 6 CITY OF LAWRENCE CHAPTER 5 SETTING THE STAGE Public Participation, Vision, Goals, and Objectives 82 Key Findings 88 CHAPTER 6 THE ACTION PLAN Parks Department Operations and Maintenance 92 Systemwide connectivity: Connecting People and Nature 96 Providing Parks and Recreation for All: Inclusion and Accessibility 102 Park facility recommendations 106 Alexander Park (Charney) 108 Explorer Park 114 Lee Road Park 118 Oaklandon Play Park 122 Veterans Park 126 Activate public space through programming 128 Park Programming 130 APPENDIX PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN 7 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION In March 2020, the City of Lawrence kicked off a 10-month planning process WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PARKS AND RECREATION? to update their parks and recreational master plan. The primary goal of the Parks and recreation facilities are low-cost community amenities that help 2020 City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Master Plan is to ensure the define a community’s identity, facilitate community health, and act as a city’s recreational system meets the quality of life, health, and accessibility positive economic catalyst for nearby properties. As a direct connection needs of its residents and visitors, as well as ensuring the city is planning with the natural environment, park and recreation facilities provide a break and prioritizing its resources and improvements in an effective manner. from the indoor environment. This purpose is complementary to the mission of the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department that also focuses on improving quality of life Long-term health benefits have also been proven to stem from the usage through: of recreation facilities. Examples of these health benefits include: reduced • Providing quality parks and recreation experiences; risk of obesity, lower stress levels, improved interpersonal relationships, improved mental health, and the formation of beneficial health and wellness • Being good stewards of the open space, natural resources, and habits. parkland; and Parks and recreation are one of the primary engagers of children and youth, • Providing quality facilities and programs for parks and recreation users both in leisure time and structured sports programs. A facilitator of social and consumers. interaction, park programs offer an opportunity for youth to fully engage The following chapter is intended to outline the purpose and benefits of themselves with others and enjoy recreational activities without worry or park planning. It outlines park facilities, defines the planning area as the city restraint. The formation of competitions and leagues also offer adult users a boundary, and discusses both the operations and organizational structures healthy outlet for rivalries with friends, family, and colleagues. of the parks and recreation board, department, and community partners. Well-maintained park and recreation facilities have a measured impact on WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A PARKS AND RECREATION surrounding properties, often increasing home values by several percent MASTER PLAN? with a noted increase in desirability by prospective buyers. Neighborhoods The creation of a Parks and Recreation Master Plan is intended to serve as with notable and high-amenity park facilities are often formed into districts a guiding document that will reflect the community’s future goals for both focused on the parks, with funding often set aside to invest in this identity. its park facilities and recreational needs. The 2020 City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Master Plan analyzes the current inventory of park facilities Finally, parks are economic drivers. A report from the National Recreation within the community and evaluates both their condition and effective and Parks Association in 2017 found that US parks contribute $166 billion usage. Future projects and facility maintenance can then be prioritized in economic activity, with the Indiana figure being $1.08 billion. These accordingly, with responsible parties, outlined action steps, and very clearly figures do not include the economic benefits resulting from improved identified funding sources. health and wellness, visitor spending, and community image. In a 2019 area development survey, 80% of corporate executives rated quality of life Additionally, having an updated parks and recreation master plan gives the community the ability to apply for funding from state agencies. This funding features as an important factor when choosing a location for a headquarters, often comes in the form of grants, giving the community a significant (if factory, or other company facility. temporary) boost in their spending capacity. This gives communities the ability to pursure projects normally outside of their means. 10 CITY OF LAWRENCE WHERE IS THE CITY OF LAWRENCE LOCATED? The City of Lawrence is an independent municipality located in the northeast of Marion County, Indiana. Surrounded on all sides by Marion County with the exception of its eastern border with McCordsville, the city is boxed in with communities on all sides. Dominated primarily by built-out urban subdivisions and the large woodland that is Fort Harrison State Park, only a small portion of Lawrence’s southeast remains as undeveloped farmland. The relatively affluent City of Fishers is located to the northwest, with the City of Indianapolis sharing a border both to the west and south. To the east, the City of McCordsville remains largely undeveloped, leaving much of the land east of Lawrence comprised of small farming communities and expansive farmland. In terms of transportation, the city is fairly accessible with Interstate 465 running north/ south along the west portion of the city limits. There are two interchange ramps; one located at East 56th Street and one located at US 36/ Pendleton Pike. US 36 runs diagonally through the city, making connectivity from Indianapolis and McCordsville easy. Furthermore, Interstate 70 is located just south of Lawrence, which provides a direction to the eastern portion of the state and connects to Interstate 65 in Indianapolis. PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN 11 WHAT DOES PARKS AND RECREATION LOOK LIKE IN LAWRENCE? The City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department manages and maintains 270 acres of parkland through the city. Each parks and recreational facility serves its own unique purpose and offers users different amenities. While some facilities may only offer passive recreational opportunities such as open space, SYSTEM OVERVIEW other facilities provide active recreational opportunities such as sports fields or designated hiking trails. Most of the total acreage is spread across 10 park facilities including: TOTAL ACRES OF PARKLAND 270 • Explorer Park 1.5 ACRES OF WATER • Richardt (Soccer) Park • Lawrence Community Park 5.5 ACRES PER 1000 RESIDENTS • Alexander Park (Charney) • Eugene Burns Park 10 CITY-OWNED PARK LOCATIONS • Lee Road Park 56 SPORT FACILITIES • Bragdon Wetlands Park • Louis J. Jenn Memorial Park TRAIL MILES 8 • Oaklandon Play Park 8 PLAYGROUNDS • Veterans Park In addition to parkland, the parks and recreation department manages and maintains 7.9 miles of trail connections. Furthermore, a key component to the 5 PARTNER PROGRAMS regional park system is Fort Harrison State Park and Fall Creek Park. While not owned or operated by the city, the state park offers 1,700 acres of additional parks 1 STATE PARK and open space. 1 CITY-OWNED COMMUNITY CENTER Department of Parks and Recreation 5301 N Franklin Rd, Lawrence, IN 46226 (317) 545-7275 12 CITY OF LAWRENCE EXISTING ASSETS MAP PARKS BOARD HISTORY In addition, one to two additional board positions can be created and Initially established in 1950 by the soon-to-be Mayor Morris Settles (1960- reserved for appointees selected by the local governing school body and/or 1983), the