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In a move aimed at improving public safety downtown, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration on Tuesday announced an agreement with the Indiana War Memorials Commission to let Indy Parks take over management of University Park.
The agreement gives Indy Parks the authority to “beautify, improve, maintain, and regulate the use of” the one-block park at 325 N. Meridian St., subject to the same rules, regulations and laws that apply to city-owned parks.
That includes giving the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department authority to enforce Indy Parks rules, including those against the discharge of weapons and the use of alcohol and controlled substances.
City-owned parks operate from dawn to dusk, meaning IMPD will be able to enforce those hours at the downtown park.
A mobile IMPD public safety camera has also been placed at the park, which was the site of the May 2022 fatal stabbing of 24-year-old Taylor George.
“Through this partnership with the Indiana War Memorials Commission, we can further enhance one of downtown’s best community greenspaces, ensuring it is safe, clean, and welcoming for all,” said Hogsett in a written statement. “I want to thank General Goodwin and IWMC for their partnership on protecting this key community asset.”
The city noted in the statement Tuesday that while it had collaborated with the IWMC on issues surrounding the park, the new agreement clarifies the scope of the city’s authority to enforce rules under state law. The IWMC will still maintain ownership of the property.
Bounded by New York, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and Meridian streets, the University Park site has been reserved for public use since 1827. The park is at the southern end of the five-block Indiana War Memorial Plaza and is known for its historic Depew Memorial Fountain.
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There are state police and state capital police, so why is the state putting the burden of policing its property on the city?
This is cryptic press release. Maybe it just gives the city authority for its police to operate on University Park, which would be fine. But if there’s an actual transfer of responsibility from the state to the city, that’s like the opposite of the Doden plan – making the cash strapped city take over functions that are clearly the responsibility of our flush state government. There needs to be some clarification about what this agreement is actually for.
This article is confusing. University Park is owned by the City of Indianapolis Department of Parks and Recreation.
According to the city’s press release: “IWMC will retain ultimate ownership and control over University Park.”
Property records list the City as the owner
Interesting observation Kevin O. I do remember my time with the city, we had to pay and maintain the facilities in this park, including maintaining and fixing the fountain, over, over and over again.
I can’t imagine the City managing the park being an improvement, given their management track record.
Exactly
At about 2.5 acres, maintenance of the one square block should be more than manageable by Indy Parks. The real upside of this news is that IMPD will not be able to enforce city laws to make the park safer for its visitors as well as nearby residents and businesses.
*now be able to enforce
The State does a pretty terrible job of managing its Downtown properties, with the possible exception WRSP. They are a bad steward of their land. Even The Statehouse – which should be beautiful – has a parking lot on the north side that should be considered a blight.
University Park is critically underutilized and The State Police are almost never there. At the very worst, the status quo of having a large, underutilized urban park will remain. At best, The City will add programming to the park similar to Spark/Monument Circle, and the park will be able to thrive.
Don’t expect any actual information or critical thought from IBJ. They regurgitate press releases that fit the agenda and this gives them an excuse to say Hogsett is fighting crime! Guns bad!
IBJ, will you be interviewed your Patron Saint Andre to ask about his recent anti Israel vote? No big deal, he only aligned with the most extreme liberal whackjobs in a vote calling Israel racist and apartheid. Completely out of touch with even his district and 99% of the country. Definitely need to suppress that story, right “journalists”?
I like your opinion of Andre Carson, the biggest waste of a congressional seat in our great state!
This article has no agenda; it is nothing more than a collection of facts stated alongside clearly denoted quotes from people who play a role in the article.
Inherently, IBJ articles will look a lot like press releases. The IBJ is a nonpartisan business journal. Its goal is to report on business and business-adjacent dealings while adding context from relevant parties.
If you want long opinion pieces about the non-business-related political dealings of our US Representatives, you’re clearly looking in the wrong spot.
Why is Rep Carson addressed here? And is Israel a stunning example of freedom, justice, fairness and equality for all residents who have been in that area 1000s of years. That Israel is an ally and provide staunch support and assistance to the United States is is indisputable. Regarding being ‘racist and apartheid” per se is a description that can be readily used for the United States, France, India, and numerous other countries where the power wielded by the majority wreaks systematic havoc on the lives and liberties of those who share a minority attribute such as religion, race, ethnicity. Yes, much has improved in the US and Israel, and much as not. Also, not every Israeli agrees with their right-wing factions of government.
So what more can journalists state other than the vote. They did. And the House decried and denounced the vote. And the US government staunchly supports Israel. Demand a statement from Rep. Carson regarding his vote. After all, he must, or certainly should, respond to those he represents.
Other comments are personal, emotional, and extreme in themselves. A much better approach is to address Rep Carson — and any other representative — directly as a constituent or citizen by mail or email or at a public meeting. However, name calling and generalizations such as “liberal whackjobs” is inappropriate and in poor taste. One need only think about those representatives on the right such as Lauren Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Green, and George Santos and ask if they truly represent the right wing entirely. Would one describe these individuals as “wacko” or simply out of touch as are so many representatives? And lastly, while SCOTUS returned the right to abortion question to the states, representatives in Indiana chose to be completely out of touch with the majority of the country.
Alas, others can and should run for office. Government can only be better with better representation focused on needs of citizens and the nation, rather than senseless wastes of taxpayer dollars on personal and partisan vendettas, vengeance, and inquisitions of private citizens in an effort to discredit or harm an elected official in order to revel in Schadenfreude.
I agree with Frank D.
Our Parks Dept does a terrible job with grounds management.
Just go to Columbus, OH or Louisville, KY if you’d like to see the difference.
Not real confident that the City will maintain the park better than the State. Walking down Mass Ave the landscaping beds are full of overgrown high weeds. If this was a resident’s property they would be notified. Mass Ave is a wonderful area too bad the City’s maintenance of the Landscaping beds is unacceptable.Not confident that the Park will be maintained maybe the Parks Dept will do a better job than the DPW.
Unfortunately our city parks have never been maintained well no matter who our mayor is. DPR has Never had the funding, care, capability, or understanding of how to properly maintain its parks. A long term problem in need of long term solutions, in all parks!
This is horrible decision. Just look at any Indy Parks property to see the terrible state of their property maintenance which is nowhere near the current grounds upkeep of War Memorial Park. Most Indy local parks are in really bad shape some looking almost abandoned so I can’t imagine them taking care of the most visible park in the city.