KIB's IPL Project GreenSpace begins 2011 with12 new projects

INDIANAPOLIS – (February 22, 2011) Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB) has announced that 12 neighborhood areas have been chosen for beautification through IPL Project GreenSpace.

Since 1995, KIB, in partnership with Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL) and the City of Indianapolis, has helped neighborhoods, schools, churches, and other community-based organizations create vibrant public spaces in neighborhoods. The following projects have been selected to receive assistance through IPL Project GreenSpace in 2011:

• East 10th Street Civic Association (East 10th Street, intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, the Monon Trail, and the Cultural Trail) — KIB will be working with the East 10th Street Civic Association, in conjunction with the 2012 Super Bowl Legacy Project Economic Development Committee and other community stakeholders to create a gateway at intersection of the Monon Trail and 10th Street.
   
• Irvington Development Organization (Washington Street between Bolton Avenue & Irvington Avenue) —This project will revitalize Irvington's Washington Street Corridor and make it more attractive, safe and pedestrian friendly.
   
• WECAN (Harlan Triangle, Orange Street/Harlan Avenue/Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive) — A transformation to the public space bordered by Orange Street, Harlan Street, and Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive will turn a bare greenspace into a gathering plaza; which will include a rain garden, trees, shade structure and public art.
   
• Double 8 Food & Perennial Gardens (North Park and East 34th Street) — KIB will be working with local non-profit, Indy Tilth to install native trees, shrubs and perennials and a large rain garden at the Double 8 Foods store near North Park Avenue and East 38th Street and a vegetable garden in the Watson McCord Neighborhood.
   
• WIDC Gateway and Peace Garden (1129 South Tremont Ave.) — A partnership between, KIB, the West Indianapolis Development Corporation (WIDC), West Morris Street Free Methodist Church and other community stakeholders will create a gateway and beautify an existing community peace garden.
   
• Earth House Collective (237 & 233 North East Street) —Vertical community gardens will be installed on the grounds of Earth House Collective. Theses gardens will educate the public on the benefits of urban gardening in small spaces, native Indiana plants and planning for rainwater runoff from impervious surfaces.
   
• Millersville at Fall Creek Valley (Windridge / Emerson Way and 56th Street) — In association with the Millersville/Fall Creek Valley Neighborhood Association KIB will beautify and enhance these areas with appropriate native plantings along walkways, roadway islands, and median strips.
   
• Eagledale Lafayette Square Area Weed and Seed (Pike Plaza Rd between 38th St. and Lafayette Road) — Median plantings will transform four medians on Pike Plaza Road between 38th Street and Lafayette Road. The improvements will include but are not limited to native trees shrubs and perennials, and are a partnership with the Eagledale/Lafayette Square Area Weed and Seed program.
   
• Bishop’s Garden at Wesley United Methodist Church (3425 West 30th Street, 46222, Eagledale) — KIB along with the parish will create a peace garden with multiple amenities on land adjacent to the church, which will be open to the public. A gazebo will be built, as well as a children’s vegetable garden. Additionally, the IndyGo bus stop will be landscaped.
   
• Indian Creek Elementary School (10833 East 56th Street, Lawrence) — An outdoor classroom and quiet reading space will be constructed within front of the school, near the front door so that it adds beauty to the front of the school, and highlights the already ‘green’ steps this school has taken.
   
• Tuxedo Park Baptist Church, 22 North Grant Street (Grace Tuxedo Neighborhood, Near East Side) — The church currently owns 3 lots across the street from the church, together with KIB and the community they are constructing an open greenspace for large outdoor parties, events, and play space for the neighborhood kids; they will also be planting an urban garden. The park will be visible from Washington Street, but would be designed to keep kids away from the traffic.
   
• Ransom Place Neighborhood Park (701 West St Clair Street, near IUPUI) — Situated right on the Cultural Trail, this small piece of land sits vacant and unused. The neighborhood is coming to together to create a resting place off of the Cultural Trail.
   

More than 35 applications were submitted for the program this year, and KIB would like to thank the various city and community development professionals, design professionals, and KIB donors who assisted in project selection for 2011. The IPL Project GreenSpace Program is made possible by the support of various sponsors, including the City of Indianapolis and Indianapolis Power & Light Company. For more information on KIB’s IPL Project GreenSpace, please visit www.kibi.org/greenspace.

About Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc.
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization uniting people to build community and transform public spaces through aesthetic and environmental improvement. In 2010, KIB engaged nearly 40,000 volunteers on 500 community improvement projects. To learn more, please visit www.kibi.org.
 

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