Family center brings hope to Martindale-Brightwood
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Frederick Douglass Park is entering a new chapter.
The addition of a family center provides opportunities for connection and recreation. The park, on 80 acres in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood, is steeped in history.
Once called the city’s “Black park,” it provided recreational space for African Americans during segregation.
John Anderson has lived in the neighborhood since the 1960s and has seen a lot of changes over the years. “The community center was one of the hubs of the village, so people came from that way, that way, and that way, and we’d all come here and meet.”
The area in 2024 is home to the largest family center in the Indy Parks and Recreation system. The new center opened May 23. Anderson hopes that it soon becomes a safe space that he says is very needed in the neighborhood.
“This is pretty bad right now and for years our kids had nothing to do. I consider this a hub for them to have something to do. Get them out of the streets and stop killing each other,” Anderson said.
As Anderson sees it, the family center gives him hope, and he’s happy to continue to support his community. “It’s a sense of pride, it’s a sense of feeling like we’re making progress.”
The $20 million facility offers something for everyone: an indoor walking track, facilities for crafts and podcasting, basketball courts, and space for classes such as senior aerobics, and summer camps for kids.
Alex Cortwright, chief communications officer at Indy Parks, said Wednesday, “We’ve just seen a huge impact. Everything to our programing and especially the youth impact has been huge. We’ve seen more than 20,000 youth basketball program users just since the facility opened. We really see the need, and the facility has really delivered that I think.”
Cortwright says the hours at the family center vary depending on the time of year, but they’ve set hours to keep it accessible to anyone who wants to come. The center is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and then 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday.