Madison County is investing in new parks and outdoor spaces to support healthy, connected, and growing communities. Using a portion of ARPA funding, the Parks and Recreation Department is implementing the Madison County Parks, Trails, and Open Spaces Master Plan. This plan was developed through a collaborative process with community members, county leadership, and partners such as the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and it identifies parks, trails, and natural areas as essential infrastructure that directly supports quality of life.

These efforts are part of a broader, countywide planning approach that also includes updates to plans for transportation, stormwater, and utilities. Coordinating these plans helps ensure that parks and outdoor amenities are developed in the right locations, at the right time, and in ways that align with future growth, infrastructure needs, and environmental stewardship.

The County’s long-range growth plan, Forward Madison County 2035, emphasizes the importance of expanding and improving parks and recreational facilities throughout Madison County, particularly in areas that are currently underserved. While the County offers some recreational opportunities today, access is not consistent across all communities, and there are limited park facilities in unincorporated areas. Establishing a more coordinated countywide parks system helps address these gaps.

Parks and recreation facilities play an important role in building healthy, resilient communities. They provide accessible places for people of all ages and abilities to be active, connect with others, and enjoy the outdoors, while also contributing to economic vitality and strengthening Madison County’s overall sense of place.

The Madison County Parks and Recreation Department and Board contracted Burgess & Niple to conduct a feasibility study to determine how to best use the ARPA funds to develop the White River Greenway. The study looked at various locations throughout the county that would provide viable land and resources to support park development. The proposed and approved locations were selected for their proximity to the White River, presence of existing infrastructure that can be enhanced, and minimal disruption to property owners and residential neighbors. An eastern and western location have been approved to develop as anchor parks. The term anchor is used because in future planning and development, these parks locations can serve as trail heads to the White River Greenway.

Madison County was awarded over $25 million through the American Rescue Act Plan (ARPA). The funds represented a significant opportunity for the County to continue its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, invest in initiatives that support a strong economic recovery, and strengthen County fiscal stability. The County established a Leadership Team comprised of County officials to oversee and facilitate implementation of the ARPA funds and a Community Engagement Team of community leaders to provide guidance throughout development of the County’s ARPA Allocation Plan. Through an extensive, multi-year process, which included several community engagement opportunities, the ARPA Leadership and Community Engagement teams identified the Parks and Recreation Department as the recipient of $4 Million in ARPA funds to begin development of the White River Greenway. This recommendation was approved by both the Madison County Commissioners and the County Council to facilitate transformational changes in the County by improving the environment, promoting economic viability, addressing aging infrastructure, and increasing the overall quality of life in Madison County.

 The appropriation of these funds involves specific requirements for when and how the funds can be used. The Parks and Recreation Board worked with Burgess and Niple to prepare a Feasibility Study to review and evaluate opportunities, within the parameters of the ARPA appropriation. They are determined to move forward with improvements to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Perkinsville Public Access Site and development of the East Anchor Park.

No, the property for this project has been purchased from a willing landowner who supports the development of the proposed park. 

While there is a long-term vision to provide connectivity throughout Madison County, we realize that this is not currently feasible for a number of reasons. The Eastern Anchor Park is intended to be a stand-alone amenity that enhances the community and improves quality of life for residents. It could, potentially, be connected into a broader network in the future, should the opportunity arise, but there is no detailed plan or funding for this, and no future trail location has been determined. Any future projects would require significant investigation, coordination, and resources.

Throughout the project development process, we have been communicating with our peer communities on this. The consensus is that strategic lighting, surveillance cameras, and periodic monitoring are sufficient for most similar facilities. We are also working with the local first responder agencies to share these findings, review past incident reports, discuss their concerns, and develop a collaborative plan to ensure the safety and security of the area is maintained.

In 2024, the Commissioners created non-reverting funds to support the new Parks and Recreation Department, and the Council allocated a portion of the 2025 Budget Tax Distribution to these funds. We are working to leverage these funds with public and private partnerships for facility upkeep and maintenance.

The Parks Board has a stated goal of developing parks and recreation infrastructure that complements and connects existing facilities throughout the county. This includes regional open spaces and natural areas emphasizing preservation and protection of natural resources and areas of cultural significance. This site is not well-suited for “traditional” playground facilities or athletic fields due to site constraints (conservation easement, culturally-sensitive areas, wetlands, etc.), this site is best suited for naturally-preserved, passive recreational uses. The project includes a dedicated mitigation area, which we anticipate expanding in the future. We are also in the early stages investigating potential partnerships with the private and governmental agencies for additional mitigation and/or preservation opportunities.

A Build–Operate–Transfer (BOT) is a method allowed under Indiana law (IC 5-23) where the owner hires one developer/team to design and build a public project—and sometimes run and maintain it for a set time—before it’s turned over to the public under the contract. It can be set up as a lump-sum price or long-term payments/financing, and it locks in the cost and expectations up front. A key schedule benefit is that design and construction are handled under one contract, which reduces separate bidding steps and the back-and-forth administrative time—helping Madison County deliver the work within the ARPA spending deadline (September 2026). The owner still makes key decisions, but the developer/operator handles most day-to-day coordination and problem-solving, and the project isn’t accepted until open issues are fixed, which generally means lower risk for the owner. Even with a BOT, the project still follows all required state and local permitting and approvals, including normal submittal processes such as planning and zoning reviews, local agency project submittals, and utility coordination.