City breaks ground on Tarkington Park improvements, named for beloved football coach

Community leaders broke ground Tuesday on a $3 million project to bring improvements to Tarkington Park, located west of the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

The addition also honors the legacy of a beloved Indianapolis football coach.

Richard “Coach Nell” Hamilton mentored young athletes for years as the coach of a youth football team, the Indy Steelers, which often practiced in Tarkington Park. He passed away in 2023 after a road rage incident.

Allison Luthe, executive director of the MLK Center, says Coach Nell was working with Indy Parks on improvements to the park before he died.

“Coach Nell was my friend and my ally,” Luthe said. “We ruffled some feathers together. I'm so proud that this field is being built here. I'm happy that it's named in his honor, but I'm really happy for the players."

The project, first announced in 2023, will bring tennis and pickleball courts, a walking path and a multi-use football and soccer field to the park. The city says it expects to complete the project by early next year.

Funding comes from a larger Lilly Endowment Grant that will be used to renovate and add to various public parks around Indianapolis.

After this phase of improvements is completed, more changes are planned for Tarkington Park. A public meeting where residents can offer input on future additions will be held at the MLK Center on March 31.

Contact WFYI Digital Producer and Reporter Jeremy Reuben at jreuben@wfyi.org.