Nonresidents to pay $50 to park at new Fishers beach on Geist
FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) — The Fishers City Council on Monday night agreed to have nonresidents pay $50 to park a vehicle at the new Geist Waterfront Park.
Seven of nine councilors voted in favor of the seasonal parking pass. Council members Jocelyn Vare and Crystal Neumann opposed the measure.
Ashley Elrod, Fishers director of community and public relations, told News 8, “This is just during swim season. So, that’s Memorial Day to Labor Day. After swim season is over, anyone can access the park for free. This is really for safety. We want to make sure there is a limited number of people on the beach so our lifeguards have the appropriate numbers to keep track of. But, it’s also to preserve that benefit for Fishers residents, who as taxpayers, are really footing the bill for this park.”
The park, 10811 Olio Road, had a soft opening in April and will open its beach on May 27. The beach is along Geist Reservoir.
The parking lot can hold 240 vehicles. The cove can handle 300 swimmers.
The parking pass for the “swim season” was needed to pay for operating the park, city leaders say.
According to documents, the city spent $15 million to develop the first phase of the park. It features concession stands, kayak rentals, a beach and a play area.
After charging the fee for a year, the council on Monday night indicated it could later review the cost.
News 8’s Kyle Fisher and Adam Pinkser contributed to this report.