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Tarkington Park playground aimed at older kids set to open in May 2027
Indianapolis officials approved a $1 million replacement playground at Tarkington Park, designed especially for teens and tweens. Changes to the plan reduced the number of trees slated for removal from 12 to three after residents raised concerns.
A new playground for older children is planned at Tarkington Park, with construction expected to begin after permits are issued in mid-November and an opening targeted for May 2027.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission approved the project’s final plan Thursday. The playground is at the park’s northwest corner, near 40th and Illinois streets and across from the Martin Luther King Community Center. The existing play area, north of the park cafe, is about 20 years old.
Project manager Kyle Koger said the new equipment is intended to give teens and tweens a safe, active place to play. Plans also include a paved walkway and an outdoor shelter.
The design was changed after residents objected to the proposed removal of 12 trees. Koger said the city reworked grading and slopes, reducing the number of trees to be cut to three. The trees do not meet the city’s criteria for “heritage trees,” a designation based on factors such as age, size or ecological value.
The $1 million project is funded through a Lilly Endowment grant awarded to Butler University in 2024. The grant totaled $22.5 million, with a portion allocated to the playground’s demolition and reconstruction.
The playground is part of a series of investments at Tarkington Park. A $5 million project begun in 2015 added a southern playground, splash pad, basketball court and cafe. A separate $3 million project, launched in 2025, is adding a football field, tennis court and pickleball courts.