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Highlights of Pocket Parks Projects |
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Ashland Neighborhood Park (2006 - 2007): As with many newer subdivisions, the developer of Ashland set aside land for a community park, but did not build any park facilities, just provided a blank grassy space. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful met with neighborhood representatives to determine the needs of the families, and a Design Charrette was held with the Indiana Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, who donated their time to provide the environmentally friendly and beautiful design. The main park area (about ¾ of an acre) will be a naturalistic area for community gatherings, with no permanent structures, just lots of landscaping to welcome residents to relax and gather. This includes an entrance patio and a stepping stone walk leading to a permanent overlook at the pond. Large boulders and many trees will ring the site, with the center being left open for neighborhood gatherings. Since this area abuts one of three ponds in the neighborhood, there will be some wetlands planting along the edge of the pond. A water feature / creek was built that will help filter and aerate the pond as well as create a fun feature for adults and children to enjoy. The water feature was built by Cool Ponds, with additional work by Dowdy Electric, in August. This will have a great environmental benefit to the community, as well as looking pretty. St. Mary’s Grotto (2005): The St. Mary’s Grotto is a new pocket park, a contemplative greenspace situated between the church and the rectory, on previously vacant land. The grotto honors the church’s burgeoning Spanish-speaking community as it concurrently serves to bring it together, in work and worship, with the church’s English-speaking contingent. A statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of the Americas, stands as the Grotto’s focal point, with additional features including an array of garden benches, and outdoor bank of votive candles, a fountain, a gathering plaza, and a great array of plant life. This project brings together the church's two primary populations, native Hoosiers and new Latinos, and facilitates that engagement via planning, building, maintaining, and worshiping. The grotto was designed by landscape architect Stefan Luebke, a church member, and will result in a lush, warm environment... a quiet, beautiful, living nook for people to temporarily escape the city surrounding them. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful provided all the plant material for this project. See before and after pictures. McCord Park (2005): This project will revitalize an underutilized park in the heart of a neighborhood undergoing renovation. New, young, energetic residents will team with long-term, mostly elderly residents to make this park a focal point for neighborhood activities. A landscape architect and friend of the neighborhood, Ron Tisdale, donated his time for the design. The neighborhood association raised money for desired items not covered in the KIB project. Concrete planters and benches from the 1970’s were removed, and new hardscape items and plantings will return the park to its original 1920’s feel. The neighborhood has raised a large amount of money to install a sun dial dedicated to a local police officer who was the first African American police officer killed in the line of duty in Indianapolis. See pictures. We Care Neighborhood Association and Hawthorne Baptist Church (2003 and 2006): With a lot of determination and tremendous hard work, the residents of South Addison Street have developed a beautiful garden park to commemorate abused children in the area. Located just south of Washington St., this garden is the vision and creation of locals who have been very dedicated to sprucing up their neighborhood. It was recently named in memory of Rosalie Cook who was a neighborhood leader. On South Warman Street, the We Care Neighborhood and Hawthorne Baptist Church wanted to renovate a pocket park that has just been worn out from use and time. This park was used by both the church that owns it and by the surrounding neighborhood, so it had many activities most of the year. They needed to remove old play equipment and to create a design that is both functional and beautiful. They wanted to add a shelter for shade, and picnic tables for summer activities for neighborhood children. This shelter will also be used for life skills classes for pre-teen girls to keep them out of trouble and in school. Already a focal point for many activities, they wish to create a jewel in the center of the neighborhood. In addition to the hardscape items, we landscaped the park to create shade and to buffer the park from traffic on Warman Avenue and the business next door. See before and after pictures. Webster Park (2003 - 2004): Starting with a vacant lot in the Fall of 2002, with help from the Indianapolis Foundation, with thanks to our landscape architect, Craig Flandermeyer, and with the in-kind support of Trotter Construction and many other partners, we have a very exciting pocket park at 48 South Webster Avenue. It consists of raised beds for neighbors to plant flowers and vegetables, toddler play equipment, picnic tables and a grill, and a beautiful arbor to welcome neighbors into the park. KIB added a fence and more landscaping in 2004. See pictures. Rocky Ripple Community Association (2004): This year, Rocky Ripple (RR) has continued to add to its park and community garden efforts with boulders, new trees, benches and the like. RR has a very successful history of working with KIB and continues to do great things in their neighborhood. In 2004, KIB helped RR finish their park pavilion, and grade and landscape more of the park. Community Baptist Church (2002): Once a scene of drug traffic and illegal dumping, this vacant lot on the north side of Indianapolis was transformed into a beautiful pocket park with playground equipment and vegetable and perennial gardens. It now provides a safe place for the children of Community Baptist Church’s day care program to play. See before and after pictures. |
