INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - Indy Parks unveils its proposed master plan for Broad Ripple Park at Broad Ripple High School Wednesday night.
It lays out the long-term vision for the popular north side park. While it covers everything from the playground to the athletic fields, it's the future of the park's pool that has people talking.
Amanda Thompson, who was at the park Wednesday with her two young children, said, "We love coming to the pool. Whittaker had swimming lessons here last summer."
Whittaker said the lessons went well.
"I cant dive yet, but I can jump in the big puddle of it," he smiled.
But the pool's days could be numbered. Built in 1984, it's showing its wear and tear. In fact, last summer, it was closed half the season because of a broken pump.
"You see this pool has come close to living out its useful life, so we've been trying to think about what other amenities we might have that folks want," Indy Parks Director Linda Broadfoot said.
The proposed master plan calls for replacing the pool with a splash park or lazy river, which has generated mixed reviews.
Betsy Sullivan, who was at the park Wednesday with her young son, said she likes splash parks "Because they're fun for kids. It's easy to watch them and they get to have fun in the water and interact with other kids."
Mary Buchanan, who came to the park with her granddaughter, said she hadn't heard about the master plan, but thought it is "important there be a community pool available...I think kids need to learn to swim and you can't learn to swim in a splash park."
"We really appreciate getting full out in the water and cooling off that way," Thompson said.
While the park could lose its outdoor pool, the master plan also envisions replacing the park's aging family center, with a much larger one that includes an indoor pool.
Whittaker said he prefers the outside pool "because it's sunny and I like to watch the birds sing at me."
For others, the opposition runs deeper.
David Dearing, who swims at the pool three times a week said, "the public did not have the option for expressing interest in an outdoor pool."
Dearing said he and others should have had a chance to weigh in early in the process.
"There's nothing wrong with the lazy river, but they're luxuries and you can go to other venues," he said, "and parks should offer the basics like an outdoor swimming pool."
Broadfoot said regardless of the final decision on the future of pool, it will remain open until Indy Parks is ready to break ground on whatever replaces it.
"We try not take anything away until we're ready to offer the next thing coming," she said.
Broadfoot also noted that the master plan now calls for keeping the boat launch adjacent to the pool. Initially, plans called for moving it to a new location, possibly upstream in Ravenswood, but plans changed after boaters voiced strong opposition. The ramp is also used by the Indianapolis Fire Department when responding to river rescues.
Broadfoot said while the parks board is expected to vote on the plan this fall, it will be done in phases and could take up to 20 years to fully implement. That's because Indy Parks has to find the money and the partnerships to make it happen.
The public meeting on the master plan is at Broad Ripple High School Wednesday night from 6-8 p.m.