Taggart Memorial to get $92 million facelift
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — One Indianapolis park is set to get a multi-million dollar face-lift.
The Indianapolis Parks Foundation announced Friday it received a $9.2 million grant from the Lilly Endowment. Officials said the money will go toward restoring Riverside Park’s Taggart Memorial and turning it into a multipurpose outdoor amphitheater.
“The Parks Foundation was proud to facilitate this grant application on behalf of these great partners, and we are so grateful to the leadership and vision of the Lilly Endowment in awarding this grant to the Taggart Memorial Mainstage Amphitheater project,” said Lori Hazlett, the Indianapolis Parks Foundation president, in a statement. “The restoration and activation of the Taggart Memorial is an ambitious and visionary part of the Riverside Park Master Plan, and will serve as an inspiring catalyst for future investment and transformation of Riverside Regional Park.”
In 2017, Indy Parks unveiled the Riverside Park Master Plan, a road map to invest, program and revamp the park over the next 20 years.
“Through the generous contributions of the Lilly Endowment, the Indianapolis Parks Foundation, and our many supportive partners, Indy Parks will soon realize a significant and engaging part of the Riverside Park master plan to benefit the people we serve and their communities,” said Indy Parks Director Linda Broadfoot in a statement. “These types of partnerships are so vital to the success of our parks and make such a lasting impact. The $9.2 million grant gives us a platform to position Taggart Memorial as a centerpiece for Riverside Park while helping it become a beautiful venue for performances, programs, and so much more.”
Once finished, the Taggart Memorial, named for former Indianapolis Mayor Thomas Taggart, will be home to the Indianapolis Shakespeare Company’s performances. The space will also play host to Indy Park’s free summer concert and movie series.
A timeline on when the project will get underway will be decided early next year.