Broad Ripple Park

We recently moved in close to this park, and we love it. It’s a surprisingly large park with 2 playgrounds, a couple of shelters, an open field, a lightly forested section, and several shelters, picnic tables, and benches. There’s also a great view of the river from the west side of the park. We haven’t been there when the pool was open, and haven’t made use of the building with the classrooms or the dog park, so I can’t speak to those.

A good little park, I am glad I live close.
I have been to a few picnics here, and I find that there is always enough parking.
Now on to the dog park. I bring my pooch here several times a week, and there are always other dogs ready to play unless the weather is rainy. You need to purchase a pass (daily is $ 5, annual is $ 75 or $ 55 after July 1) to gain access, and don’t plan on entering behind someone else because we are a little too protective of our dogs to chance someone bringing an unvaccinated dog in without a pass. There is plenty of room for your dog to run around, and ample seating for owners. It’s also a pretty great place to socialize with other owners!

My favorite park, mostly because we live right next to it .We spend a lot of time here riding bikes, enjoying the river and all the park has to offer. The pool is great and rarely busy but everyone knows that, it’s a park!

Playground, walking trails, picnic areas, pavillions, Bark Park, FREE summer concerts, ample parking, Zumba & other classes in the center. Convenient. Less than 5 because the pool could use some help /​upgrades. A splash area would be nice!

This is a pretty decent park as a whole. The easiest parking is off of Broad Ripple Ave. /​62^nd St. at Primrose Ave. That puts you close to the community center, dog park, pool, boat slip, and playground. There’s a smaller lot in the northeast corner that puts you close to the athletic fields, tennis courts, and softball diamond.
I visit the dog park 3 times a week or so, so I’ll start there. The people are all pretty friendly, and, unless it just rained, it’s pretty much a given that your mutt will have somebody to play with. There’s no agility course or anything, but there are plenty of bags and garbage cans so owners can pick up after their pooches. Please follow suit. The areas away from the gate are grassy, while the highest traffic area is sand. It drains pretty quickly after a rain, so you can usually go the next day without fear of getting muddy. There’s a water fountain for Barkley to get a drink, too. You’ll need to bring water if the weather has been close to freezing, as they shut off the fountain for the winter. You and Fido will need a pass to get in, and many people get put off if you ask them to let you in. You can get an annual pass or a day pass at the community center desk (not the same building as the pool), and you’ll need Fluffy’s current vaccination records. They don’t prorate the annual rate, but they drop it a few bucks in June or July. Currently, a daily pass is $ 5 and the annual pass is $ 75. For $ 125 you can get the VIP pass, which gives you access to all the IndyParks dog parks.
The park is open from dawn to dusk, and occasionally a police officer will drive through the lot and give you and Sparky a 5 minute warning if you’re lingering too late.
As for the rest of the park, it’s pretty cool too. There’s unpaved hiking trails. The few Pavilions can be rented out for parties and BBQs. There’s a fitness circuit if you’re feeling like getting more fit. Haven’t tried it myself ;-) The tennis courts are in decent shape, and are usually pretty clear of leaves and dirt. They’re not shaded, so take some water on hot days! There’s a decent playground just north of the 62^nd St. parking lot with swings, slides, and other good stuff for your little ones, or you, if you are worried you’ve forgotten how to swing. (It’s a sad day if that’s the case. Get out there and young it up!)
The pool is fun and affordable. Be ready to tolerate some crying babies and peacocking teens – it IS a public pool. They recently added some playground-​like stuff to the pool. I haven’t visited since they added it, but it looks fun for your kiddos to cool off in. I think all the furniture is new from 2012 or 2013.
The boat slip into the White River is east of the pool. When you enter off of 62^nd, veer to the left. There’s a 1 boat wide slip and a small wooden dock. Water skiers and wake skaters tend to frequent this section of the river when it’s warm outside. You can go as far upstream as you like, but on the downstream side you’ll only make it to the low head dam at 65^th and Westfield, just past where the Canal branches off, before you have to turn around. This is a great spot for skiers to get a turn in. If you’re into canoeing and kayaking, there’s room for you too. The motorboaters are usually pretty courteous. Just point your bow into their wake as they go by and you’ll be okay. Paddle upstream to see some cool birds and the cutest baby turtles sunning on downed trees and rocks.
So, yeah, I like Broad Ripple Park. There’s plenty of reasons to visit. Go for a nature walk, exercise, watery adventures, or to tire out your 2-​legged and 4-​legged dependents. Have fun!

nice friendly park.

Dip into the river on a hot day! There are hidden/​secluded picnic tables around! This park has it all. There are play areas for kids, a fenced in dog park, a mini forest, large grassy areas, tennis courts, a rec center and big pool. The park runs along the white river and has amazing views.

Broad Ripple Park is a great place to enjoy the outdoors. The park has some great features that are free such as the tennis courts and boat ramp. The dog park and pool are available to the public at an additional cost. The pool is clean and well staffed yet gets busy on hot days. The dog park stays pretty busy year round but the members are usually friendly and good with supervising the dogs. Would be a 5-​star park if the dog pass worked at other locations and the family center staff was a little more courteous.

Pool open til 8pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. 2 lap lanes for swimming. Just 3 bucks. Closes August 5. Don’t tell anyone. Did I mention the scenic view of the White River?

I’ll admit that I’m not much a «go to the pool kind of gal». Oh, what? You didn’t know there is an actual classification for those who go to the pool and those who do not? Well, I grew up out in the sticks where a pond and a t-​shirt sufficed.
The 90 degree temps and day off were just the extra push I needed to pay a visit to Broad Ripple Park. The bath house was a little on the outdated side, but it served its purpose. I was very pleased with the size of the pool, attentiveness of the lifeguards and lawn chairs in both the shade and sun. I’m awful at laying out, so I spent the whole time in the pool. Something about sitting still in my own pool of sweat doesn’t do it for me. I suppose I prefer a pool of kid’s pee.
The Zumba sign by the road has been calling my name for quite some time. I’ll definitely be back for the pool, but next time I might even add in the Zumba. How wild of me.

My wife and I love coming here with our dog, Laken. There is a real nice dog park at the entrance of the park and everyone is very friendly. Of course Laken loves it here too.
The park itself seems a little on the rundown side due to a lack of TLC but it sits in a beautiful spot along the White River, so it’s easy to overlook some of the places that need some care.
I would have given 5 stars if they guy at the front desk of the Family Center actually had some personality. I have never seen him smile or greet anyone in a friendly manner. We have only bought a few day-​passes for the dog park, and I dread having to deal with him to get the pass.

Dog park. Handicap accessible pool (ramp) and playground. Nice community center (not huge, but very nice). Free exercise classes M-​H from 7−8pm. Soccer field. Recycling. Tennis courts. River overlook. Piece of history (check out the old ferris wheel’s giant concrete base)…did you know the carousel at the Children’s Museum used to be in Broad Ripple Park? Here’s your tip: there are 2 entrances. The main one is off Broad Ripple Ave, the other one is off Evanston. That’s where the tennis courts, soccer field, and recycling are.

The dog park at Broad Ripple Park is how I spend most of my time here, but both the dog park and the… other parts of the park are awesome. The views of the river are cool, there are plenty of trees to admire (so I’m a bit of a tree-​hugger, alright?) and plenty of people watching to do. The dog park is a great, great place to bring the dog and let her run around with other dogs while we hang out and talk with other dog owners. Everybody here is responsible with their dogs, breaking up little fights whenever they happen and generally being pleasant. Though the price of the dog park is a bit high (hence 4 out of 5 stars,) and you can’t get into any other dog parks in Indy with your pass… let me repeat that quick… though you have paid for a dog park pass, you can only get into ONE dog park with that pass even though there are many owned by Indy Parks… they do require all dogs to have up to date papers and shots, so even if your dog gets bit by another dog, you’ll know that your dog most likely won’t catch some horrible disease.

I go here to walk my dogs, and not much else. Sure, the park has aerobics/​dancing classes at the community center, a public pool that probably has band-​aids in it like all others, a noisy playground, and an overbearing police presence (watch out on your way home, Broad Ripple revelers!) But it’s also a sizable chunk of nature that gives my dogs and I respite in the bustle of the city, so I dig it dearly.

From the park website:
When is your pool open to the public?
The Broad Ripple Park Pool is a seasonal swimming pool open June 5 through August 8, 2010. Regular season hours are Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. — 5 p.m., and Friday — Saturday, 11 noon — 7 p.m.
WHA!!! August 8^th. I must update my review, 3 stars and no more for availability.

Bordering on the White River, Broad Ripple Park has been a beloved community resource for over 50 years. While not enormous, this is a good-​sized park given its location in Indianapolis proper, with a lot of nice features, including a dog park, a half-​mile fitness trail, a playground, a swimming pool, an athletic field and picnic shelters available for rent. There are a lot of programs and activities at the park for all ages, so it’s worth checking into if you’re looking for something to do outside.
I’ve had nice times here during all seasons, but my favorite time to come is really the fall. There are plenty of trees here, and it’s beautiful to see the leaves change. Bring some hot dogs if you’re so inclined, ’cause they have those little charcoal grills where you can cook food.
This park is also home to Broad Ripple’s recycling center, which is back behind the tennis courts.