KIB Announces 2020 IPL Project GreenSpaces
INDIANAPOLIS — (September 24, 2019) Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB) announces four new community greenspace projects awarded as part of KIB’s IPL Project GreenSpace program for 2020. KIB reviewed applications from active community groups looking to transform vacant or underused areas into useful places for their neighborhoods and our city.
In partnership with Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL) and the City of Indianapolis, KIB has helped neighborhoods, schools, churches, and other community-based organizations create pocket parks and other greenspaces since 1995. These spaces focus on connecting people to nature and creating a sense of place rooted in local identity.
The following organizations and spaces have been selected as 2020 project partners:
Community On Patrol Serving (C.O.P.S.) GreenSpace (Project location: 3304 Forest Manor Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46218) — Located northeast of down Indianapolis, The C.O.P.S. GreenSpace will bring life back the old Forest Manor Ball Field. The neighbor plans to create a clean, safe place for the community to host neighborhood programs, events, and spend time together outside. Ideas include walking trails, a peace garden, a kickball field, trees, new park benches, and an art piece at the former concession stand. The Rock Memorial Garden will pay tribute to community members who have lost their lives to gun violence.
Sarah T. Bolton Park GreenSpace (Project location: Mann Dr., Beech Grove, IN 46107) — KIB will partner with the City of Beech Grove to create a destination park. The GreenSpace will highlight the work and history of the park’s namesake, Sarah Bolton. A walking trail through a native prairie will create a walking showcase of Bolton’s artwork and poetry. The park will include a pollinator garden to sustain bees and butterflies, while creating a place where people come to enjoy nature and engage with each other.
Renew Our Community (ROC) GreenSpace (Project Location: 3735 N. Sherman Dr., Indianapolis, IN 46218) — A currently vacant lot at the corner of 38th Street and N. Sherman Dr., The ROC GreenSpace will be a community gathering space for music and events, a market place for local vendors, and a place to decompress and enjoy nature. The neighborhood hopes to use the space as a model to jump start other positive activity in the area.
Spruce Street Neighbors Coalition GreenSpace (Project Location: 1400 Pleasant St., Indianapolis, IN 46203) — Adjacent to Pleasant Run and the Pleasant Run Greenway Trail, The Spruce Street GreenSpace will turn an open grass field into a gathering place for neighbors, a spot to host community events, and add art and native plants to the area. KIB will work with the Spruce Street Neighbors Coalition to create a beautiful and environmentally beneficial native plant landscape.
The new class of project partners attended a kick-off orientation at KIB on Tuesday, August 30. Community groups are currently working to formalize their visions and designs as part of KIB’s community engagement process for each GreenSpace.
The IPL Project GreenSpace program is made possible by the support of our title sponsor, Indianapolis Power & Light Company, as well as other generous supporters, including the City of Indianapolis. KIB would like to thank these organizations, as well as the community development and design professionals and KIB donors who assisted in project selection for 2020. For more information on KIB’s IPL Project GreenSpace, please visit www.kibi.org/greenspace.
About Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB)
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB) is an environmental and community nonprofit with a mission to engage diverse communities to create vibrant public places, helping people and nature thrive. KIB is an award-winning affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Inc., a national organization dedicated to preserving the natural beauty and environment in American communities.
KIB works with neighbors, volunteers, and the City of Indianapolis to plant trees and native landscapes, create community spaces, pick up litter, and engage students of all ages in Indianapolis. Each year, KIB supports nearly 900 community projects with over 15,000 volunteers. For over 40 years, we've partnered with neighbors, the public sector, and Indianapolis community groups and businesses to achieve our vision of a beautiful city.
For more information about Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, visit www.kibi.org or follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @kibiorg.
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