INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indy Parks on Wednesday night hosted a community open house to discuss design concepts for a new nature center northwest of downtown Indianapolis.

The department is pursuing a $6.8 million grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to fund the project. It will be located at the future Riverside Adventure Park. The park will be south of West 38th Street between Cold Spring Road and the White River.

Alex Cortwright, chief communications officer with Indy Parks, told News 8, “Overall, the reaction’s been very positive to the investments we’ve made in Riverside. Tonight’s really a first step for the nature center idea. This will help inform some initial design. All the (display) boards you see tonight are inspired by other nature centers around the country, just to kind of show this is something that we’ve seen across the country to see if that’s successful or something they’re interested in.”

Organizers say design planning for the nature center project will take place over the next six months.

Indy Parks said in a news release issued Wednesday, “Construction of the first phase of the Riverside Adventure Park began in November 2023 and is scheduled for completion at the end of 2024 with public access beginning in early 2025. First phase improvements are currently underway and include a trail network, nature playground, picnic shelters, and improved entryways to the park.”

The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis in partnership with Indy Parks was awarded a Nina Mason Pulliam Trust Grant to fund the schematic design for the nature center.

Riverside Adventure Park is being built on a former golf course that closed in 2019.

The Indianapolis Parks and Recreation Department already has nature centers at Eagle Creek Park and Holliday Park.

This story was created in part from a script aired on WISH-TV.