Ransom Place Pocket Park

By: Jeremy Kranowitz

The Ransom Place Neighborhood Association and KIB worked together to turn an underutilized lot, across from the Cultural Trail, into a pocket park and gateway into the neighborhood. The community’s vision was not only to be a gathering space with stage/deck for residents but highlight the historic significance of Ransom Place and serve as an outdoor classroom for all of Indianapolis.

VISION FOR THE SPACE

The Ransom Place Neighborhood Association hopes that this space will become a defining characteristic of a neighborhood that has often been overlooked. Surrounded by IUPUI, Indiana Avenue, Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard, and 10th St. the Ransom Place neighborhood worked to transform this empty lot into a neighborhood showpiece that highlights the history and defines the neighborhood from the institutions around it. The group hopes that IUPUI, Crispus Attucks High School, and other local schools being can now enjoy local art, historical information about the neighborhood and a gathering space for small events or performances.

IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECT

This project accomplishes:

• Accessibility by creating an inviting and natural gateway into the community to improve way-finding to the community and surrounding attractions.
• Neighborhood Pride through preserving the identity of this unique neighborhood and reshaping unused spaces within the community.
• Sustainability achieved through a design that incorporates native trees and wildlife to preserve the natural landscape of the neighborhood.
• Sociability by preserving the historical significance of the community and highlighting it through art.

THE DESIGN PROCESS

Beginning in October, KIB engaged with the neighborhood to discuss goals and a vision for the park. A steering committee attended several KIB workshops about engagement and implementation/maintenance, and has met several times to develop a design with design firm, Synthesis Incorporated. At multiple neighborhood meetings and through the community mailing list, the design was shared for community input. The team looks to wrap up design work by the end of February 2015, have a final design prepared for implementation by Spring 2015, and the project was completed Fall 2015.

WORK STATUS

KIB and the RPNA put the final touches on the space in November 2015. The park was commemorated in June 2016 and is open to the public to enjoy!

Connecting people to nature, creating vibrant places rooted in community and building lasting value by working together. Committed to creating vibrant places and communities, IPL Project GreenSpace is a grassroots effort that transforms vacant lots and underused spaces into natural, beautiful, and functional pocket parks and greenspaces for neighborhoods.

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Continued success of IPL Project GreenSpace depends on our sponsors and individuals like  you. Please consider donating to Keep Indianapolis Beautiful.

Categories: AES Indiana Project Greenspace, Clean Neighborhoods, Engaged Citizens, Partners