HMP was awarded a 2014 IPL Project GreenSpace grant and just made a huge step forward in “putting the park in Historic Meridian Park.” You may have read in previous articles that in July 2013, the HMPNA purchased the land for the pocket park at 201-209 East 33rd Street. Quickly thereafter, the Pocket Park Committee applied for the 2014 IPL Project GreenSpace grant administered through Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB). KIB received 40 applications and awarded only 6 grants, with HMP being one of them.
The HMP Pocket Park will raise the broader spirit and aesthetics of the neighborhood by creating an outdoor space where residents of different backgrounds can connect, providing reflective space in the enjoyment of nature, and offering a safe and imaginative space where kids can play. The park will embody the “Arts and Crafts” style inherent in the HMP community. Residents can increase their quality of life in a peaceful, park-like setting while also increasing their physical activity by having a destination to walk to.
The IPL Project GreenSpace grant will help realize the neighborhood association’s vision through a strong partnership with KIB that includes providing us with a KIB Project Coordinator, creation of a design plan, donated tools and materials, in-kind donations through KIB partners, and labor hours. Although the KIB grant cash value is $10K – $15K, the in-kind partnership donations will make its value much greater (upwards of $40K – $50K). The grant also includes help with maintenance for 2 additional years after the park opens. Although the grant will not cover the entire cost of developing and maintaining the park, it will likely cover more than half of the park expenses. The Pocket Park Committee will continue to aggressively seek additional grants and individual and corporate donations.
During the next several months, efforts will be focused on park design plans with the goal of implementing the plan in the spring of 2014. In just 6 short months, neighbors will start to see the land transformed. Input is needed and welcomed. To borrow a quote from the author Louis L’Amour, “One who does not vote has no right to complain.” The Pocket Park Committee will be holding a series of input sessions. Please look for dates and times on the HMP email list and Facebook group. If you are not on the email list but would like to be, go to http://eepurl.com/fgZQY to subscribe. If you don’t have email but want to be notified of meeting dates and times, please contact Cassie Mehlman-Rhys at 997-2791.
While the neighborhood has reached a milestone in our pocket park acquisition, we are far from done. Fundraising efforts will continue. Please be as generous as possible towards the pocket park fund. Multi-year commitments are accepted. HMP Pocket Park donations are separate from neighborhood dues and we ask that you contribute to each separately. The donations to the pocket park are tax deductible and will need to be made through the Mapleton Fall Creek Development Corporation clearly marked for the HMP Pocket Park.