Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation / Jill Perelman Pavilion

Carmel, IN
Construction Cost: $5.7 million (including building and site)
Area / Square Feet: 8,000 SF
Occupancy Date: August 2019

The Groves Park expansion activated an additional 15 acres of parkland to complement the current 121 acres of West Park that is home to woodlands, wetlands, prairies, and recreation opportunities for all ages. The development of the park brings countless opportunities to a previously underserved part of the Carmel community.

Within that section of the park sits the new Jill Perelman Pavilion (JPP), an 8,000 square foot facility, accessible via a dedicated drive. The pavilion hosts multiple summer camps between June and August as part of Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation’s Summer Camp Series, serving an average of 180 campers per week. The pavilion also hosts recreation programming August – April including several nature programs like Indiana Master Naturalist and outdoor programs like archery. Both campers and program participants alike are immersed in the buzz of pollinator gardens, the sound of frogs at the pond, and seek new adventures in our new woodland playground.

The JPP is located in the Upper White River Watershed and was designed to follow the natural north and south flow path of stormwater movement throughout the property. Innovative stormwater and green infrastructure strategies are intentionally open and visible near buildings, boardwalks, and plazas to engage and invest in Carmel’s next generation of environmental stewards who visit the park. Beyond the pavilion, the stormwater flows through several connected wetland and pond areas with native prairie and wetland vegetation to slow, filter, and clean water prior to discharging from the site and back into our waterways.

This newly established standard for sustainable park development occurs through a design that seamlessly knits indoor and outdoor recreational programming into a diverse setting of native landscapes, interpretive native garden plazas, and adventure play.