Broad Ripple History
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Pictures, Stories, Maps, and more
Brought to you by Broad Ripple Publishing

Central Canal
The central canal was built in 1822 and created Broad Ripple. The canal runs eight miles to downtown Indianapolis and supplies 60% of the drinking water for the city.

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Monon Bridge over canal for trail
2001
Monon Bridge over canal for trail
College Avenue bridge over canal
2004
College Avenue bridge over canal

Central Canal History
Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Central Canal But Were Afraid To Ask
a series of articles from the Broad Ripple Gazette


Canal Parking Deck
To alleviate the parking woes in Broad Ripple Village a parking deck was built over the canal, west of the Guilford "Rainbow" Bridge, in 1958 and was torn out in 1999. Plans to remove it in 1997 were halted while a study was conducted to find new parking spots to make up the loss. Eventually sinkholes formed and the structure deteriorated. It was then removed.


Here is a series of aerials showing when it came and went.
This one is when it appeared (there was no 1958 or 1959 aerial). You can hit NEXT until it starts to vanish in 1999.
https://www.broadripplehistory.org/images/pictures_waterways/album_page_24.htm


This is when the BR Art Fair was held on it:
https://www.randomripplings.com/issues/2022/20220901/rr_13.htm


Another aerial and a photo of it coming down:
https://www.randomripplings.com/issues/2016/20160219/rr_1.htm


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The canal deck being removed in 1999
1999
The canal deck being removed in 1999