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Broad Ripple Park Family Center opening events

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indy Parks and Broad Ripple neighbors will hold a ribbon cutting Thursday to mark the brand new opening of the new Broad Ripple Family Center.

A ribbon cutting will take place at 11 a.m. Thursday with Mayor Joe Hogsett and other city leaders.

Kathy Fitzgerald, the park manager, said the center is an asset to the community and that they’re only adding space in the park that was not being used.

Since 2011, parkgoers have expressed concern that they don’t want the public park to be commercialized.

Indy Parks used the space for 13 years before the construction began.

It is a good way of introducing a relationship between health and the community.

“In 2003, we moved into the old library here. I was in the program at the time and we went to town! We got so many instructors,” she said. “Our rooms were filled with classes. We almost didn’t have enough room for people to rent. People wanted to use it, but we just didn’t have the space or someone wanted a meeting in a room, and next to it was a Zumba class.”

The new family center will have amenities that include an indoor track, gymnasium, multipurpose rooms to be rented or used for group classes, and a play area for kids.

You’ll have the opportunity to see the new amenities at an open house from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

The Broad Ripple Park Family Center opens for business on Monday.