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ROW convenes community partners to enhance the quality of life through innovation, analysis, cultural advancement and investment along Indy waterways and in neighborhoods.

Transitions to Celebrate

Two key ROW collective members have announced big changes. Congratulations to Phyllis Boyd and Kevin Hardie in these transitions!

Phyllis Boyd, who has served on the Steering Committee representing Groundwork Indy, began in her new role leading Indy Parks and Recreation this week. As the first Executive Director of Groundwork Indy, Phyllis has been integral in leading ROW's Central Canal Committee as Waterway Liaison and most recently as co-chair.

Under Boyd's leadership, the Central Canal Committee has accomplished an incredible array of projects: working with Indy Parks to establish free swimming lessons, creating art installations along Central Canal with the Reclaim Project and daVinci Pursuit, teaming up with Friends of White River to provide a Youth River Guide Training, and most recently leading the Community-Led Environmental Project -- an effort which helps residents understand potential environmental health risks in the community, distributes water testing kits, and provides immediate remediation to threats.

As Phyllis departs, Groundwork Indy will be led by Elizabeth Wallin as Managing Director and Ron Rice as Interim Director. ROW looks forward to continuing our partnership with Phyllis Boyd at Indy Parks, and with Groundwork Indy along Central Canal.

After 21 years of service as Executive Director for Friends of the White River, long-time river advocate, Kevin Hardie, is retiring. Hardie helped found the nonprofit in 1985 and served on the board of directors until 2000 when a historic fish kill episode in White River prompted the group to create the director position.

Hardie has worked closed with ROW since it's inception, and led river tours / floats with key Indy leaders and elected officials throughout 2017-2020; partners on the River Guide youth training with Groundwork Indy; and launched the White River app. Kevin has also been a leading partner of the annual White River cleanups, organizing more than 6,000 volunteers to collect more than 2,000,000 pounds of trash, and anti-dumping efforts, including the #CleanOurWatershed campaign, and led river safety advocacy.

Friends of the White River has named Scott Salmon to take Hardie's place as the organization's executive director. Salmon is an active ROW volunteer, lending support to our Central Canal, Fall Creek, and White River Committees, like expert assistance in hosting waterway cleanups. ROW looks forward to continuing working alongside FOWR to improve the health and enhance the natural beauty of the White River.

Partner Spotlight: Friends of Belmont Beach

Congratulations to Friends of Belmont Beach (FOBB) for winning the Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center (INRC) 2021 Collaborative Spirit Award for their work on the Belmont Beach Project. The Belmont Beach Project was born out of a Lilly Endowment Grant, timed with Indianapolis' Bicentennial, and enabled the dedicated group to transform the overgrown space into a community pocket park. Originally planned as a temporary installation, the project received a use extension on the space by the Indianapolis Airport Authority (who owns the land) for an additional year of activation, engagement, programming, events, and general enjoyment of the park.

Historically, the site was a segregated swimming hole, and part of the Haughville neighborhood for nearly a century. When it comes to activating a space like Belmont Beach, the group says, "Listen to the community. They will tell you what they want and need." Working together with local partners including Haughville Strong, IPS School 63, Near West Livability Task Force, Haughville Butterfly Trails, Indy Convergence, and ROW's White River Committee, FOBB have activated hundreds of volunteers to transform the space and make it a community asset to be enjoyed by all.

FOBB's work was no small feat. The 16th award of its kind, the annual Collaborative Spirit Award "celebrates unique, sustainable, projects that demonstrate strong neighbor collaboration, leadership, and community partnerships that enhance the quality of life in our community. Awarded projects are neighbor-led and neighborhood-initiated and driven, embracing the spirit of cooperation and grassroots leadership."

ROW worked with FOBB for ROWPort 2021, and are so proud of the hard work of Friends of Belmont Beach!

Pictured: Josiah Sanford, Mike Trees, Teddrick Hardy, Rosezalynn 'Pinky' Sanford, and Ben Rose. Photo provided by the Belmont Beach Project.

Volunteer Spotlight: Cheri Mayer

This month, ROW recognizes Cheri Mayer for her passionate support for Christian Park and the Pleasant Run Waterway Committee. A lifelong Hoosier and Christian Park resident for over 10 years, Mayer is committed to keeping Pleasant Run watershed healthy and clean to keep her neighborhood thriving.

Mayer first became involved with ROW in 2019 when the then newly-formed My Christian Park Neighborhood Association (MCPNA) applied for a ROW flex fund for the Pleasant Run Reclamation Initiative to clear invasive species along Pleasant Run, opening up 5-acres of viewshed in the park.

Since 2019, Mayer has worked to organize and encourage her neighbors to get involved more in the community. Mayer serves as the MCPNA secretary, leading monthly meetings alongside neighbors Cindy Maxwell and Gary Glover, and keeps neighbors informed of volunteer opportunities and community gatherings on the group's Facebook page.

May

er isn't shy about her pride for the community -- in fact, she even has an oak tree, the symbol of Christian Park, tattooed on her ankle! Mayer said, "I absolutely love Pleasant Run...it is such a beautiful area I love to enjoy with my family and friends. We have a great group of neighbors that want to keep our neighborhood park

safe and healthy for us and future generations."

Thank you, Cheri Mayer, for your sharing your passion for Christian Park and your continued work reconnecting neighbors to our waterways.

Remembering Patrick Mack

ROW's Pleasant Run Committee would like to celebrate and honor the legacy of local artist Patrick 'Pat' Mack who helped bring the sculptural dreams of our waterway committees to life. Sadly, Pat passed away in June 2021 after his battle with cancer. ROW is seeking the Collective's thoughts, photos, and more to compile and share with Pat's loved ones this holiday season. Please use this link to share your memories of Pat and the impact his art has had on your community, from Pleasant Run to Pogue's Run and all along our waterways. We will collect responses through December 20.

ROW Needs YOUR Input!

For the last decade, ROW has worked purposefully to convene community partners to enhance the quality of life of Indianapolis' waterways and neighborhoods. Help us understand what activities you think are most important and share your feedback using this link to take our 3-question survey. Also, please consider leaving a 30-second video sharing what ROW means to you!

Events Calendar

*All meetings have a virtual option when signal is strong enough for hybrid meetings.*

November 18: Fall Creek Meeting
November 22: Pleasant Run Meeting
October 27: White River Meeting
December 8: Little Eagle Creek Meeting
December 14: Central Canal and Pogue's Run Meeting

December 15: White River Meeting

One great way to get involved with ROW is to participate in a Waterway or Element Committee! Find details on the ROW events page or contact andrea@ourwaterways.org for meeting locations and to get connected.

Fun Fall Events Along Our Waterways

The Pogue's Run Committee hosted a spooky, second annual Fall Bike Ride on October 31, bringing nearly 50 cyclists to enjoy a beautiful autumn day. Riders gathered in Fletcher Park to kick off a casual ride along the incoming Pogue's Run Trail to the Pogue's Run Art and Nature Park.

Neighbors Susan Vogt and Jerry Shepherd hosted riders, offering local refreshments and information about the trail's development. Cycling enthusiasts Kimball Lloyd-Jones, NEAR's John Hay, and Dan Lake led riders on the 7-mile route with support from local bike group, Life Behind Bars.

Missed the ride? You can find the follow the route using the mobile Pocketsites Tour created by Pogue's Run Committee Co-Chair Dan Lake.

Twenty-five neighbors and friends joined Little Eagle Creek Committee on Friday, November 5 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a walk around the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course. Co-Chairs Jeb Bardon and Joan Servaas invited the community to discover the hidden beauty of Little Eagle Creek as part of the committee's Take a Walk! series.

Kicking off the walk with light refreshments, Bardon and Servaas introduced the group, many new to ROW, to Little Eagle Creek's initiatives, including their recently published Poetry Anthology, Reflections on Little Creek, and their continued native habitat restoration and connectivity work with local businesses.

The group completed a 3-mile loop around the course, taking in the beautiful fall colors of trees dotting the landscape. Thank you, Jeb Bardon and Joan Servaas, for sharing LEC!

Take Action to Improve Our Waterways

In the Know with ROW Series

Residential Invasive Species Removal Guide

All Things Water: What a Homeowner Should Know

Clear Choices Clean Water Pledges

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Reconnecting to Our Waterways · 201 S. Capitol Ave · Suite 800 · Indianapolis, In 46225 · USA