Step Into the Project: A Walking Tour of Riverside Promenade

Explore project success on foot with PMICIC!

Join us for a unique, outdoor professional development experience as we walk the newly completed Riverside Promenade—a 1.5-mile path connecting history, storytelling, and urban design. This event combines fresh air, local pride, and a deep dive into the project that brought this community space to life.

We’ll be guided by the team from RLR Associates, an experiential design firm in Indianapolis, who created the signage, interpretive nodes, and engagement strategy behind the Promenade. Along the route, you’ll hear how this project went from concept to construction, the key role of stakeholder and community input, and the tools and processes that made it all possible. Whether you're passionate about urban development, curious about how public projects come together, or just looking to connect with fellow project professionals in a casual setting—this event is for you.

What You’ll Learn

• How community engagement shaped project decisions
• Tools and techniques used in real-world experiential design
• Lessons in navigating stakeholders and storytelling through signage
• Behind-the-scenes insights into managing a high-impact public project

Event Details

• Walking distance: Approx. 1.5 miles (flat terrain)
• Comfortable shoes recommended
• Rain or shine event—please dress for the weather
• FREE FOR ALL! Open to all PMI members, guests, and the broader local community -- Must Register online at PMICIC.ORG.
• PDUs available (details shared on-site)

RIVERSIDE PARK
Riverside Park was developed for agriculture use beginning in the 1820s. The are along white river became a popular recreation space during the last half of the nineteenth century. In 1898, Mayor Thomas Taggart negotiated the purchase of large tracts of land around Indianapolis to form new park and parkway systems. Riverside Park was one of the largest city parks in the United States. It would remain the largest park in Marion County until the development of Eagle Creek Park in 1962. Riverside Park was listed in the National register of Historic Places in 2003 as part of the Indianapolis Park and boulevard system historical district.

Recent improvement to Riverside Park include the Thomas Taggart Memorial Amphitheater in 2021 and the Riverside Promenade trail in 2023. The Riverside Adventure Park north of 30th street is currently under construction creating a nature themed playground, new trails, and more. Construction on the Taggart Memorial Playground next to the Amphitheater is expected to begin in 2025. These improvements are based on the findings and community input included in the Riverside Regional Park Master Plan.

Since 2020, investments in completed and future projects at Riverside Park will total over $35 million as Indy Parks works to transform the park into one of the city’s great new assets.

RIVERSIDE PROMENADE
The Riverside Promenade trail stretches 1.5 miles from just east of the 30th street bridge near Herron Riverside High School down to 16th street along East Riverside Drive. The Promenade passes through the park along the sports fields and courts, the Riverside Park Family Center, the Taggart Memorial Amphitheater, and the South Grove Golf Course. Together with the Central White River trail, residents can do a full loop around the entire eastern portion of Riverside Park.

The Promenade is perfect for a bike ride, a run, or a casual walk with others. Nodes throughout the trail highlight the history of Riverside and the City of Indianapolis.

SPEAKERS
Nikki Schier, CAPM
Studio Manager
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-schier/
Nikki Schier holds a CAPM® certification and has a broad professional background which she has applied over the past 6 years in her role as Studio Manager at the experiential design firm RLR Associates. She manages the firm’s portfolio of 25+ active projects utilizing LEAN Construction and Design methods. At PMICIC, she volunteers as a Co-Director of Membership and has been with the chapter since 2022.

Bre Smith
Sign Director
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmmetzger/
Bre Smith is an Associate and Design Director for RLR Associates. She has been with the firm creating design solutions, especially as it relates to user experience, for a variety of clients over the course of 8 years. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Herron School of Art & Design at Indiana University and is an active member of the Society for Experiential Graphic Design (SEGD).