Glimmers of the evening sun shining through the trees gave Vertis Shirley all the light she needed to catch a glimpse of a gray catbird through her binoculars.
“Right there on that tiny little branch,” said Kayla Lindsey-Fisher, senior stewardship associate for Audubon Great Lakes, as she directed Shirley’s attention to the spot where the bird took a moment to rest.
Shirley was part of a small group of Gary residents, local conservationists, and city officials gathered by the Audubon Great Lakes at Hatcher Park on Gary’s East Side to imagine a renewed future for the park and the nearby Marshalltown Marsh. The effort to create a space where native wildlife can thrive, stormwater is managed naturally, and people have space to play, learn, and connect is part of a growing movement across Gary to breathe new life into the city’s green spaces, restoring both the land and the communities around them.
Latrice Farmer, originally from the nearby Marshalltown neighborhood, was excited to bring her children to the event.
“Growing up in Marshalltown, I remember my neighborhood park did not look like this,” Farmer told Capital B Gary.
“Now, instead of me having to go 30 minutes away for a nature walk, I can bring my kids to the park up the street. And I would like to do that as a resident.”
For Farmer, whose two children are homeschooled, an educational program that includes nature is crucial.
“This is part of our homeschool curriculum,” she said. “We didn’t get that coming up. They didn’t give us nature. They didn’t give us outdoors. We didn’t get to touch grass. We had concrete. I take my kids to touch grass. I don’t see that solid nature curriculum in public or charter schools. They might go and make a garden, but there’s not a solid, nature-based curriculum.”
The Little Calumet River is the centerpiece of the entire project, with a key step being to reshape the river to bring back some of its natural curves. Decades ago, the river was straightened by engineers, creating an area that is more flood-prone and less healthy for local wildlife, according to the Audubon Society.
By allowing the river to flow naturally again, the project aims to reduce flooding, support native birds, and help restore the wetland. That restoration will also improve water quality by filtering out pollution and trapping more carbon underground, which helps fight climate change.
The project includes re-meandering 1.6 miles of river to improve aquatic habitat and fish passage, restoring 56 acres of deep marsh and slough, 89 acres of wet meadow, and another 56 acres of hemi-marsh and oxbow pond. Plans also call for the creation of a 2-acre oak savanna island designed to support local wildlife. Invasive species management will be carried out across the entire restoration area to help native ecosystems recover and thrive. Organizers said the project is designed to be a win-win for both birds and people, providing healthier natural spaces that residents can enjoy while supporting long-term ecological resilience.
Residents of the Marshalltown neighborhood are likely to directly benefit the most as a major community focus of the project is to expand public access to Hatcher Park, Ironwood Park, the Little Calumet River Trail, and the Peppermint Playground.
The restoration work at Hatcher Park began in 2023 and is expected to continue through at least 2028.
Hatcher Park, which features a community pool behind the facility, has long been closed. Its recreation fields and pavilion have been shuttered for years. Last year, the park was the site of a city-led cleanup initiative, where dozens of city workers and residents came together to clear brush, remove debris, and jumpstart the restoration of the long-neglected space.
The goal is to shift long-neglected or misused green spaces into valued community assets through regular public use and engagement. Plans include introducing new recreational opportunities like hiking, birding, paddling, and fishing to attract more residents of all ages. Crucially, the initiative is being shaped through ongoing input from the community to ensure that the vision reflects the priorities and needs of the people who call Gary home.
“I wanted to be careful with how we talk about this work because we’re trying to be cognizant of the way that a lot of conservation groups traditionally do work in communities like Gary that are primarily black and brown, disinvested communities, and coming to the table with too many, like, half-baked ideas,” said Daniel Suarez, Audubon’s conservation director.
Suarez said he wants residents directly involved in shaping the project. He emphasized the importance of honoring its cultural significance, building community pride, and balancing ecological goals with public needs. His vision includes breaking down preconceived notions about the site and inspiring excitement about the space’s potential.
Calumet Collaborative Co-Executive Director Maya Etienne, who lives on the city’s east side, said that vision must be grounded in the needs and voices of the community.
“We’re really thinking about stewardship,” she said. “We’re thinking about long-term usage, long-term management, and what are the benefits for this community? What do they actually want?
“That’s how we approach sustainable economic development from the stories and from what comes up from the community,” she added.
Residents who would like to engage with the Hatcher Park + Marshalltown Marsh project are invited to complete the restoration plan survey where they can share favorite memories of the park, recommend amenities and activities, and share their hopes for economic development in the city.
This story has been updated.