Carmel City Council President Matthew Snyder receives IPRA Elected Official of the Year Award

Submitted

Carmel City Council President Matthew J. Snyder has received the Indiana Park and Recreation Association (IPRA) Elected Official of the Year Award for his tireless advocacy and support of Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation (CCPR).

Snyder accepted the award on Nov. 6 at this year’s IPRA annual conference in Fort Wayne, Ind.

A lifelong Carmel resident, Snyder has played a significant role in securing funding for park upgrades throughout the community. His advocacy began during his tenure on the Clay Township Board from 2011 to 2023, where he spearheaded the Clay Township Impact Program (CTIP). CTIP provided more than $40.8 million in capital funding for improvements to nine CCPR parks and a portion of the Monon Greenway, improving the lives of Carmel residents through parks.

One of the program’s most significant and recent projects is the Bur Oak Bridge, a 500-foot pedestrian and bicycle bridge that connects Hazel Landing Park in Carmel with Heritage Park in Fishers. The $15.4 million project was made possible through a collaboration among multiple local governments, strengthening Central Indiana’s regional trail network by connecting the Monon Greenway, Big-4 Rail Trail and Nickel Plate Trail.

“Matthew has been a tremendous advocate for our parks and the role they play in making Carmel a great place to live,” CCPR Director/CEO Michael Klitzing said. “His leadership and efforts to secure resources for these projects have helped us continue creating exceptional experiences for our community.”

Since joining the Carmel City Council in 2024, Snyder has continued advocating for investments in parks and recreation. More than $21.8 million in city funding has been dedicated to developing three new parks – Veterans Park, Bear Creek Park, and Ironwood Park – as well as a new multipurpose trail, Veterans Greenway. Additional investments support improvements to the White River Greenway, expanded access to riverfront parkland and enhancements to the Kawachinagano Japanese Garden.