INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, along with Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, members of the White River State Park Development Commission and other community leaders, gathered on Tuesday to celebrate the groundbreaking of the extension of White River State Park. According to a news release, the 12-15 acre extension will be located on the west bank of the White River at a location that once served as the home of a General Motors Stamping Plant. The extension is expected to be supported by a $30 million grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. “White River State Park is a crown jewel for our state, and it’s going to get even better with this latest strategic investment,” Holcomb said in the release. “We are kicking off a new era for the park while simultaneously preserving an important icon of our state’s industrial and manufacturing heritage. Where can I vote early in Indianapolis? "Lilly Endowment’s support is once again making a project that has been years in the making into a modern-day reality and we are profusely grateful for their support," Holcomb continued. "When completed, this addition to the White River State Park will serve as a glorious gateway to a vibrant innovation district complemented by this important community asset for nearby residents and visitors alike to enjoy.” Renderings of the extension of the White River State Park. Provided renderings. Map of the extension of the White River State Park. Provided Map. Renderings of the extension of the White River State Park. Provided renderings. Renderings of the extension of the White River State Park. Provided renderings. Renderings of the extension of the White River State Park. Provided renderings. Renderings of the extension of the White River State Park. Provided renderings. The grant funds are expected to support repurposing the site of the GM plant into an event and community center, which will be developed for "year-round activations." The plant housed GM from 1930 to 2011, the release said, and played an important role in World War II. The park's extension is also expected to include the following amenities: An extended promenade trail Bench swings A river theater A water feature A new Henry Street Bridge that will bring the Indianapolis Cultural Trail to the park's extension New greenspaces that are designed to highlight views over the White River toward the Indianapolis skyline. “White River State Park is an extraordinary place that attracts Indiana residents and visitors to downtown Indianapolis to enjoy greenspaces, trails, the Indianapolis Zoo, the Downtown Canal, museums, baseball games, concerts and festivals,” Ronni Kloth, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for community development, said in the release. “This exciting expansion of the park will provide visitors with desirable amenities, including opportunities to enjoy and engage with the White River, and add to the vibrancy of the new innovation district.” Halloween 2024: Trick-or-treat times in central Indiana The extension is located east of the site of Elanco Animal Health's new headquarters, north of the valley neighborhood and south of the Indianapolis Zoo, the release said. “We are excited about the opportunities this park extension will bring to preserve part of our history, physically and visually engage with the White River, connect with the nearby Valley neighborhood, and draw visitors to our downtown,” Jake Oakman, the executive director of White River State Park, said in the release. “More than 40 years ago, Lilly Endowment helped write the first chapter of White River State Park’s history when it supported the initial master planning of the park, and it has supported several other developments in the park over the years," Oakman continued. "We are thrilled that this new grant is helping us write this next chapter in the park’s history.”