SCHOOL 46

Daniel T. Webster School 46 Pocket Park and KaBOOM! Playground

Another multiple year project, we have been building a pocket park on the grounds of IPS #46 for use by both the school and families of the surrounding neighborhood. Some of the older playground equipment was moved around, and some sports courts on the north side of the building were repainted for older neighborhood kids, leaving the land to the south of the school for the park area and a playground for the smaller kids.

There was very little plant material on the grounds of the school when we started, so that was the focus of the work for 2006. The school had a contest to have the students design the park, to create the master plan for this multi-year project, which was then made work-able by landscape architect Jonathon Bonham.

Trees and other landscaping will provide shade and screen the area from the street. Over 35 volunteers from the Lilly Tech Center and EDS worked on this project in 2006. A new shade shelter with large and small picnic tables added in 2007 will make this area usable as an outdoor classroom. The addition of cooking grills make the area welcoming for neighbors. The building of the shade shelter re-energized the Father's Club, and they have restarted their regular workdays at the school.

2008 brought a brand new playground to the school and park. Sponsored by National Starch, the Indianapolis Colts, and The Home Depot, KaBOOM! organized the over 300 volunteers in building a huge new playground and other amenities around the school.