Pogue's Run Art & Nature Park

At this point the Park can be accessed by going around either side of the fenced gate. The main entrance is at 2300 Dequincy St. which is located on the east side of the park.

Along the hustle and bustle of I-70, on the Eastside of town, rests Pogue's Run Art and Nature Park. The park began as the Pogue’s Run multi-purpose project. Construction began in august of 1995 and was completed by January of 2003. This project was designed and constructed by the City of Indianapolis, Christopher B. Burke Engineering and Gradex, Inc.

The Pogue’s Run basin was conceived as a part of a comprehensive plan to catch and retain water during major flood events and prevent it from reaching downtown Indianapolis. The basin covers 45 acres and serves the Pogue’s Run watershed, an area of about 13 square miles. During a 100-year flood event, approximately 6 inches of rain will fall on the Pogue’s Run watershed, equaling nearly 925 million gallons of water. During such an event, this basin can hold enough water to fill tanker trucks stretched from here to Memphis, TN. This facility was built to prevent the kind of damage caused by flood events such as the one in 1993 when the upper banks of the Mississippi River overflowed resulting in billions of dollars in damages.

Since its completion in 2003, the Indy Parks and its partners have worked to develop this project as an interactive park featuring temporary and permanent installations of art along the recreational trail. This project showcases the City of Indianapolis and the Indy Parks commitment of bringing public art into city neighborhoods. The first phase involved the design concepts from the Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) Herron School of Art and Design. Students designed and built the benches and environmental art pieces installed in this special environment to enhance the experience of Pogue’s Run Art and Nature Park visitors. Local artists Aaron Lewis, Abigail Dean, Brent Lehker, Mike Lyons, and Nate Garvey also contributed sculptural projects to this park.

The Art & Nature Park is a nice place to go to go for a hike or spend a little time with nature. The hiking loop is about 1.5 miles around and is fairly level. The park is a bird sanctuary as well. You can see geese, ducks, and hawks. You might find a snake, an amphibian, or other creature that creeps the earth. In the middle of the eastern most pond, there is an island that is off limits to park visitors, yet close enough to be seen from the shore.