INDIANAPOLIS GREENWAYS DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEEREVISED MINUTES OF PUBLIC MEETING -- October 19, 2004 City County Building -- Room 107 Voting Members Present:SILVER, JOHN, VOLLMER, MYERS, DORSA, MOONEY, PAYNE, and SHIKANY Voting Members Absent: HICKS, PAPENMEIER, QUINN, SOMMERS, HENNEKE, and BARTON Others Present: Ray Irvin, Lori Block-Keys (Indy Parks Greenways), Greg Midgley, Marv Brenthauer Meeting called to order at 5:05 PM September minutes postponed until next meeting. PROJECT UPDATES: BLOCK-KEYS and IRVIN reported on the following: Eagle Creek Greenway -- Construction is in progress for this 1.8-mile trail, which will connect 56th and 46th Streets. Storrow/Kinsella combined the trail plans with the Pike Youth Soccer development plans, thereby reducing the total project cost. The parking lot at north end is installed. Soccer fields have been seeded; Gradex began digging ponds. Trail construction is progressing South to North. An informative sign was installed at 56th Street, containing partner recognition and a large visual of the plan of the area. Fall Creek Greenway -- Phase I (Monon to Keystone Ave.) is now complete. The new concrete box culvert recently constructed to repair Labor Day flood damage at Tacoma Ave. will prevent future flood damage to the asphalt. Indy Parks needs to install small retaining wall at Millersville Rd. to repair erosion from the railroad tracks. Plans for Phase II from 56th to Skiles Test (Shadeland Ave.) were submitted to INDOT for review; currently awaiting bid. Construction should begin in 2005. Monon to Central -- Butler Fairman & Seufert has completed the trail design. A TEA grant will be re-submitted was to INDOT in Dec. for $1.2 million to fund this phase, and if awarded, construction could begin in 2006. Meridian to Stadium Dr. -- This reach of Fall Creek was scoped as part of the Central Waterfront Masterplan Update by the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE). The ACOE will continue to work on this trail's development. South White River Trail -- Greenways submitted a TE grant application to INDOT for $1.8 million to fund this project. INDOT awarded $850,000 in October. Ninebark is developing construction documents for this 2-mile trail piece from the zoo to Raymond St.; they submitted 90% review of these plans. The trail will include several interpretive signs at the trailheads. Partnerships with National Starch, General Motors and Eli Lilly continue to facilitate trail development. Pogues Run -- Trail Rules signs were installed this month. Pogues Run's first environmental service learning project was completed Oct. 5 with students from Arsenal Tech High School and IUPUI. Work continues to open this 40-acre wetland mitigation/flood control project in 2004. Encompassed by a 1.5-mile loop trail, the basin will become part of Indy Greenways as an art and nature park. Greenways is working with local neighborhoods to develop trail amenities and with DPR Planning to resurface the trail. Trail opening is pending a signed Memorandum of Understanding between Indy Parks and DPW. A second fundraiser, organized by Caleb Mills Organization, is occurred September 18. Pennsy Corridor -- The Pennsy Corridor runs from Arlington, east to the county line, south of Washington St. The future Indianapolis Pennsy Trail will connect to the existing Pleasant Run Greenway Trail, the Town of Cumberland's future Pennsy Trail, and eventually east to Greenfield. Fifty percent trail design plans are complete. Nine adjacent property owners agreed to support the trail in July 2004. The city continues to focus on land acquisition, which could begin this year, as the MPO has designated money for such needs. Development could begin as early as 2006. Volunteer Projects Pogues Run -- Fifty volunteers from Arsenal Tech and IUPUI planted 30 trees and picked up trash at Pogues Run Basin in preparation for the opening of this art and nature park. Fall Creek -- Volunteers from the IUPUI and the United Way Day of Caring continued to restore the Fall Creek Corridor near Skiles Test Nature Park. Jordan YMCA Monon Trail Access -- United Way Day of Caring volunteers helped paint a mural with artist Linda Lowman. Volunteers also mulched new plants and cleaned the site. Engineers from Butler, Fairman & Seyfert acquired a donation of concrete and poured two new concrete pads and a low section of trail surface. America in Bloom Symposium -- Indianapolis hosted this national convention for the first time October 7-9. Participants engaged in discussions of urban greenspace, sustainable development, and urban planning. Five tours exposed participants to the use of greenways, greenspace and urban landscaping to improve Indianapolis quality of life. Greenways toured included the Monon Trail, Fall Creek, Central Canal Towpath, Pogues Run Art and Nature Park. AIB participants learned about the use of art, history and native plant restoration and landscaping along the Indianapolis Greenways. SUBCOMMITTEE UPDATES NEW BUSINESS: National Road Heritage Trail Presentation by Greg Midgley -- This 150-mile corridor stretches across the state from Terre Haute to Richmond. Several trail segments have been developed across the corridor, e.g., Terre Haute, Greencastle to Filmore, Plainfield (Vandalia Trail), Greenfield (Pennsy Trail). The National Road Heritage Trail, Inc. became a 501(c) 3 non-for-profit this year. In Marion County, their primary initiative is to connect the Vandalia Trail to the Pennsy. Steps for progress include applying for a $100,000 grant and seeking endorsements from other organizations. The IGDC passed a Resolution to support the National Road Heritage Trail, Inc. Motion by IRVIN, seconded by MOONEY. Upcoming Greenways Events: October 23 -- Office of Senator Evan Bayh sponsoring Fall Creek Greenways project. 150 High school students will plant 150 trees to restore Fall Creek corridor at Senate Ave. November 6 -- IPL Trees for Tomorrow planting on the Canal Towpath at 30th St. Meeting adjourned 6:17 Respectfully submitted by Lori Block-Keys, Indy Parks Greenways *All IGDC meetings are recorded and aired on WCTY Channel 16, copies available through WCTY. |