Historic Meridian Park (HMP), one of Indianapolis’ pre-eminent early 20th century neighborhoods, announces the launch of a $75,000 campaign to create a pocket park in the heart of the district on two adjacent empty lots on 33rd Street between Pennsylvania Street and Washington Boulevard. The neighborhood lies between 30th and 34th Streets from Pennsylvania Street to Washington Boulevard.
A pocket park is a small greenspace that is privately owned and maintained. It is not part of a city park system; rather, it is tended to by its neighbors. Residents interviewed as part of the 2011 Mid-North Quality of Life Plan identified greenspace for chatting, playing, reading, and spending time in nature as a high priority. Historic Meridian Park organizers immediately began exploring a pocket park in their neighborhood, holding two “town hall meetings” and a pocket park panel discussion with representatives from four other historic urban neighborhoods in Indianapolis.
The Historic Meridian Park pocket park will provide an “imagination station” for children, benches for reading and chatting, and a shelter for picnics and other social gatherings. It will be landscaped with drought-tolerant native plants. Like city parks, it will be a dawn-to-dusk area.
The $75,000 HMP Pocket Park Campaign will allow the purchase of the two adjacent lots from private owners, grading and preparation of the space, water and electrical connections, a landscape plan, initial hardscaping and landscaping, and initial structures (imagination station, benches, and shelter). The structures and landscaping will be designed to harmonize with the Arts & Crafts architecture prominent in the neighborhood.
Contributions to the HMP Pocket Park Campaign are tax deductible as allowed by law and will be made through the fiscal agency of the Mapleton Fall Creek Development Corporation. Future HMP pocket park plans call for the creation of a not-for-profit foundation to maintain the park. All contributions of $1,000 up will be recognized on a plaque on the park shelter. Contributions of $2,500+ may be made as multi-year pledges.
33rd Street between Washington Blvd. and Pennsylvania St.
Digitally rendered idea for the park
Recognition Levels:
Garden Genius: $10,000+
Landscape Architect: $5,000-$9,999
Master Gardener: $2,500-$4,999
Nature Lover: $1,000-$2,499
Horticulturalist: $500-$999
Herbalist: $250-$499
Garden Apprentice: $100-$249
Please make checks payable to Mapleton Fall Creek Community Development and write HMP Park in the memo line. Mail to: 130 East 30th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46205. Your donation is tax deductible.
All donations of $1,000+ will be recognized on a plaque on the park shelter. Please indicate how you would like your name(s) to be recognized. Donations of $2,500+ may be made as multi-year pledges.
For more information and a brochure, please contact Sharon Gamble at cellogirl50@hotmail.com or 317-283-1698.