A quiet 25-acre park on the west side is getting a major facelift thanks to a $10 million grant from a foundation created by one of the world’s richest men and his wife.
The Bezos Earth Fund, chaired by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his spouse, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, selected Rev. Mozel Sanders Park as one of eight projects nationwide for the philanthropic organization’s “Greening American Cities” initiative.
Located just west of the White River across from 16 Tech Innovation District, the park features a playground, basketball courts, horseshoe pits and a small wildlife refuge.
Planned upgrades include:
- Planting 400 new trees
- Restoration of native wetlands
- Two miles of new trails
- A community farm and orchard
- Multi-use fields, sports courts and gathering lawns
The Bezos Earth Fund was launched in 2020 with a $10 billion pledge from Bezos, with the goal of distributing all of the funds by 2030.
Indy Parks will commit an additional $600,000 to the project.
Design and engineering is expected to begin in the fall, with construction slated for 2027 and substantial completion expected in 2029.
The project was borne out of the Haughville Riverfront Vision Plan, a partnership between Friends of Belmont Beach and Visit Indy.
The grant comes as Indy Parks nears completion of $150 million worth of improvements to more than 40 parks around the city. Much of that work was spurred by an $80 million grant from the Lilly Endowment, with additional funding coming from city dollars.
Mayor Joe Hogsett said the Bezos donation will revitalize a “beloved riverfront park in the Haughville neighborhood.”
Widely regarded as a community leader and fearless advocate for social justice, the Rev. Mozel Sanders was pastor of the Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church from 1959 until his death in 1988. He fought for equal rights in the Civil Rights movement and later founded a national job training program.
His legacy lives on in street signs and on public infrastructure around Indianapolis. Each year, a foundation in his name puts on the Mozel Sanders Thanksgiving Dinner, which serves over 40,000 meals to families in need.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Peter Blanchard covers local government. Reach him by phone or Signal at 317-605-4836 or peter.blanchard@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @peterlblanchard.
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