About Us

Nationally Recognized & Award-Winning Parks in Carmel, IN

Founded in 1991, Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation (CCPR) was established through an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement between the City of Carmel and Clay Township in Indiana. The organization was created to serve the nature and fitness needs of the community. From the beginning, CCPR has aimed to create a sustainable future for parks and recreation programs through a financially viable and environmentally conscious parks system. CCPR manages and maintains more than 700+ acres of park land and numerous recreation facilities, providing more than 5,000 annual classes and programs for all ages.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to be a steward of a healthy community by providing transformative experiences.

Vision Statement

We envision being a national leader in parks & recreation, enhancing our community one park, program, and person at a time.

Watch + Learn About the Department

Carmel/Clay Board of Parks and Recreation

Click here for park board information + minutes

Judith F. Hagan

President

Jenn Kristunas

Vice President

Katie Mueller

Secretary

Mark Westermeier

Treasurer

Jonathan Blake

Member

James D. Garretson

Member

Josh Orahood

Member

Jon Shapiro

Member

Riddhi Shukla

Member

Senior Management Staff

Michael Klitzing, CPRE

Executive Director/CEO

Kurtis Baumgartner, CPRE

Assistant Director/COO

Eric Mehl, CPRP

Administration & Planning Director

Trudy Coler

Marketing & Communications Director

Michael Allen, CPRP

Parks & Natural Resources Director

Michael Normand, CPRP

Recreation & Facilities Director

Claudine Sutton, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, IPMA-SC

Human Resources Director

Jennifer Brown

Extended School Enrichment/Summer Camp Series Director

Glancing at the Past & Looking Forward to the Future

1992

A contest was held to choose our very first official department logo.

1993

A partnership was formed with Carmel Clay Schools to create a new program - Summer Fun Camp. This program offered 8 different camp sessions and attracted 160 total campers.

1994

The first General Parks Development Plan was complete, which included renovations to Meadowlark Park, the creation of Carey Grove Park and the beginning of construction at Flowing Well Park.

1998

Three new parks were created that are still popular in the community today - River Heritage, Prairie Meadow and Hazel Landing Parks.

2001

Celebrating 10 years of operation! The Monon Greenway, “Everybody’s Playground” at River Heritage Park and the splash pads at Inlow and West Parks officially opened to the public.

2005

First annual Tour de Carmel.

2006

Extended School Enrichment, the department’s before and after school program, was first introduced to Carmel Clay Schools.

2007

On Memorial Day, the Monon Center and The Waterpark opened its doors for the first time.

2010

Central Park became the first park in the state of Indiana to become certified by the Indiana Wildlife Federation as wildlife friendly, making CCPR the first park system in Indiana to be wildlife friendly certified.

2011

Founders Park was dedicated on August 20, and won the Indiana Park & Recreation Association award for Outstanding Park Development.

2012

FlowRider® opened at The Waterpark, becoming the first of its kind in the state.

2014

Won the National Gold Medal Award, the highest and most prestigious recognition for a park and recreation system, and obtained CAPRA accreditation.

2015

Opened the Central Bark Park, a membership-based safe and clean dog park for our community members to enjoy with their dogs.

2016

Completed construction of the innovative destination playground in Central Park West Commons and officially opened the playground.

2020

CCPR awarded second consecutive Gold Medal for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management

2021

CCPR celebrates its 30th Anniversary

PNR staff smile with the Clark Ketchum award.

2021

CCPR received Clark Ketchum Award for conservation efforts through pollinator partnership programming

Summer Camp Series staff celebrate ACA Accreditation.

2022

Summer Camp Series recognized for outstanding programming with American Camp Association accreditation

2023

The Summer Camp Series (SCS) celebrated its American Camp Association (ACA) accreditation for excellence in operations and its dedication to creating a safe, engaging environment for children