Indy neighborhood lacked a public park - so residents got together and made their own
The 317 Project tells stories of life in all of Indianapolis' vibrant neighborhoods – 317 words at a time.
A couple of years ago, if Kristen Tjaden wanted to go to a park, she'd have to choose between driving there or crossing a dangerous intersection. Tjaden, chair of engagement for the South Village Neighborhood Association, said her neighborhood didn't have an outdoor space of its own.
What it did have, though, was an abandoned patch of land backing up to the banks of Pleasant Run Creek. Longtime residents like Gene Parsley recalled there had once been a paved walking trail, and a pedestrian bridge crossing the water.
Parsley, now a co-chair of the neighborhood association, remembered plucking crawdads from the same creek as a child. Over the years, though, it had become a dumping ground.
"We have this natural resource in the middle of an urban neighborhood that is underutilized," recalled Laura Piercefield, also a neighborhood association co-chair.
The group applied for a grant from the city, pitching a garden designed to let people gather and learn about the native ecosystem. They were awarded $10,000 to convert the once-forgotten acre into an inviting, peaceful space.
Today, native wildflowers bloom around the large rocks that serve as benches. Red-winged blackbirds call to each other across the water. Visitors include people but also owls, herons and foxes.
There's no specific name — it's just "the garden."
Maintenance remains a group effort. Piercefield marks invasive species with weed dye and Parsley pulls them out. Volunteers are welcome.
The group hopes to put in signs describing the native flora and fauna to make the garden as educational as it is sensory.
Tjaden now has a safe place to walk with her big dog, and Parsley has a place to enjoy the sun and listen to the water.
Piercefield said the garden offers a way for people to learn and connect without sitting in front of a screen.
"I've met neighbors — every single time — that are people that I have never known," Piercefield said.
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Indianapolis Star
29-05-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Indy neighborhood lacked a public park - so residents got together and made their own
The 317 Project tells stories of life in all of Indianapolis' vibrant neighborhoods – 317 words at a time. A couple of years ago, if Kristen Tjaden wanted to go to a park, she'd have to choose between driving there or crossing a dangerous intersection. Tjaden, chair of engagement for the South Village Neighborhood Association, said her neighborhood didn't have an outdoor space of its own. What it did have, though, was an abandoned patch of land backing up to the banks of Pleasant Run Creek. Longtime residents like Gene Parsley recalled there had once been a paved walking trail, and a pedestrian bridge crossing the water. Parsley, now a co-chair of the neighborhood association, remembered plucking crawdads from the same creek as a child. Over the years, though, it had become a dumping ground. "We have this natural resource in the middle of an urban neighborhood that is underutilized," recalled Laura Piercefield, also a neighborhood association co-chair. The group applied for a grant from the city, pitching a garden designed to let people gather and learn about the native ecosystem. They were awarded $10,000 to convert the once-forgotten acre into an inviting, peaceful space. Today, native wildflowers bloom around the large rocks that serve as benches. Red-winged blackbirds call to each other across the water. Visitors include people but also owls, herons and foxes. There's no specific name — it's just "the garden." Maintenance remains a group effort. Piercefield marks invasive species with weed dye and Parsley pulls them out. Volunteers are welcome. The group hopes to put in signs describing the native flora and fauna to make the garden as educational as it is sensory. Tjaden now has a safe place to walk with her big dog, and Parsley has a place to enjoy the sun and listen to the water. Piercefield said the garden offers a way for people to learn and connect without sitting in front of a screen. "I've met neighbors — every single time — that are people that I have never known," Piercefield said.
Indianapolis Star
21-04-2025
- Indianapolis Star
A minister and a girl in a wheelchair: the legacy of Stringtown's Anna's House
The 317 Project tells stories of life in all of Indianapolis' vibrant neighborhoods – 317 words at a time. Every Saturday morning, families pour into Anna's House, selecting fresh groceries for the week from the Lord's Pantry. The door is open to all. Unlike many assistance agencies, Anna's House doesn't require clients to go through an eligibility process. People of any faith background (or none at all) are welcome, too. "If you're hungry, you're hungry," said Leticia Juarez, the organization's sole employee. What's now a house at the corner of Elder Avenue and New York Street began as a one-man street ministry more than 20 years ago. A former Baptist minister named Lucious Newsom spent nearly every day of his retirement gleaning leftover food from Indianapolis grocery stores. He would then drive through Indianapolis' poorest neighborhoods, propping up folding tables and allowing people to take what they needed. He called it "The Lord's Pantry." One of his most enthusiastic volunteers was Anna Molloy — a young girl who, despite complex medical issues, would race around in her wheelchair to help out. At its 2005 groundbreaking ceremony, the pantry's permanent building was named for the then 9-year-old Anna. Newsom and Molloy both died in the summer of 2008. Newsom was 93, and Molloy was 12. Today, Anna's mother Julie Molloy serves as chairman of the board. Over the years, the house has expanded services to help fit the needs of the community. There are hot meals on Wednesday nights and free breakfasts during the summer. There's a back-to-school supply drive and a gifting program around Christmas. Many clients are also volunteers even though it's not a requirement to receive services. "They wanted a way to give back, since we would help them. So I came up with, why don't you guys help me? We can sort. We can clean up," Juarez said. "But you don't have to volunteer to receive food," Julie Molloy said. "You just have families that want to."
Yahoo
25-11-2024
- Yahoo
The neighborhood stories no one else is telling highlighted in IndyStar's 317 Project
You want local news. In your neighborhood local. On your street local. Us, too. That's why years ago IndyStar launched the 317 Project: to tell the stories of Indianapolis that no one else does in ways no one else can. Stories about a 153-year-old church in the Ben Davis neighborhood still serving its community after being devastated by fires and a tornado through the decades, or the generational caretakers of a Westwood neighborhood cemetery. Sometimes the news is odd, like the First Church of Cannabis in Dogpatch. Other times it highlights a neighborhood business beloved by residents but overlooked by outsiders. These stories aren't possible without subscribers. The more than 50 IndyStar journalists who live in Central Indiana know the city and love highlighting Indy's unique and vibrant neighborhoods. 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Millennial couple to give new life to historic Bosart-Brown home The 1862-built mansion facing Washington Street is so overgrown it appears haunted; previous owners left floors uprooted and items heaped, some trash and some treasure. One future day, perhaps years away, the house may roar again with life. 317 Project: Millennial couple to give new life to historic home Dellwood's autumn tunnel, a moment only experienced once a year For a brief time each year, there exists a road outside the 465 loop that offers a moment that can't be found among the city's tall buildings or in the state's sea of corn. A moment of zen only experienced once a year Church of Cannabis wants to be taken seriously while staying true to cause It's nearly nine years since Bill Levin, 68 — 'Grand Poobah' is his preferred clerical title — gave his first sermon. A shock of white hair bobs side to side as Levin weaves between pews, telling each of the dozen or so congregants, 'I love you,' before wrapping them in a bear hug. The church's 12 tenets start simply with, 'don't be an a--hole.' Wilderness camp unplugs kids, teaches survival skills Matt Shull knew it would be a challenge to find the perfect spot for a wilderness camp in metro Indianapolis, but it didn't take him long to strike something close. The answer: a wooded northside enclave accessible by just two roads. 'It is a unique place, surrounded by wilderness, access to the White River and a funky vibe,' Shull said. Wilderness camp unplugs kids, teaches survival skills. 153-year-old Ben Davis church survived fires and a tornado to serve neighbors The same congregation has worshiped on the the same plot of land in Ben Davis Village for more than 150 years. 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