Current and historical perspectives that were gathered during the initial Discovery Phase of the White River Vision Plan in Indianapolis and Hamilton County are now available for public review and comment online. The Phase 1 Task Report is a comprehensive review of research by experts and public input gathered from April through July 2018 about the 58 miles of river in the study area.
The report is an in-depth study of the White River’s history, industry, river access, hydrology, ecology and recreation completed by core team members from Agency Landscape + Planning, RATIO Architects, DAVID RUBIN Land Collective, Applied Ecological Services, Engaging Solutions, Heritage Strategies, HR&A, Land Story and Christopher B. Burke Engineering. Community feedback gathered during steering committees, stakeholder discussions and public meetings held in July 2018 are also included in the report.
“This report is the first time the public can see everything the core team found in its research and the feedback we’ve heard so far from the community,” said Emily Mack, director of the Department of Metropolitan Development for the City of Indianapolis. “As we work to keep the community involved in the process, this report gives the community a baseline of current conditions and the possibilities for the White River Vision Plan.”
Divided into four themes – Reveal History, Express Identity, Experience Nature and Connect Communities – the report seeks to inform Central Indiana of the opportunities and challenges that will be addressed in a final master plan set to be released in spring 2019.
Key findings from the report include the following:
- Reveal History: The Task One study uncovered rich and compelling stories about the river’s history but also revealed that residents are relatively unaware of that history. Potential opportunities for expanded programming, celebrations and interpretive activities to raise public awareness and appreciation for the archeological and heritage locations along the White River.
- Express Our Identity: Past and more recent development and demographic trends emphasize that the White River Vision Plan must serve all ages, work to attract younger residents, stress inclusivity and support quality of life to support economic growth. Improvements need to respect existing residents while supporting the creation of distinct nodes and subdistricts with different types of programming customized to nearby residents and visitors.
- Experience Nature: This theme examines the natural wildlife, water quality, levees, floodplains and storm water runoff along the river. The White River Vision Plan should support existing plans and programs such as the Greenways Master Plan, Indiana Forest Alliance Marion County Forest Study, Indianapolis Parks Master Plan, city and parks master plans for Carmel, Fishers and Noblesville, and sediment reduction initiatives. Because of the enormity of the task and scarcity of widely accepted natural resource plans, the White River Vision Plan can help galvanize support for new initiatives by and mirror powerful results from similar regional projects.
- Get Outdoors: Conner Prairie, Strawtown Koteewi Park, Newfields, White River State Park and Southwestway Park are examples of programs that can inform the White River Vision Plan’s goal of offering diverse experiences, access and ecological systems for the final plan. The White River Vision Plan will seek to differentiate experiences and favorably increase perceptions through the promotion of enhanced stewardship of the river balanced with diversified activation opportunities.
- Connect Communities: A recommendation to increase visibility in public rights-of-way through signage and lighting will be included in the White River Vision Plan. Improvements for existing roadways and trails can lift the White River up as a regional destination, but these improvements should be addressed carefully due to implementation costs, flood concerns and environmental sensitivities. Local differentiators along the extensive study area must stay at the forefront of the final plan discussion.
“Physical connection and access to the river is one of the most tangible potential improvements the White River Vision Plan can bring to the study area,” said Brenda Myers, president and CEO of Hamilton County Tourism, Inc. “Throughout this study, we will continue to address specific needs found in the wide variety of neighborhoods and communities along the river. We will seek to increase connectivity to public lands while protecting places where residents work, live, farm and play. We hope to gain insights from the community about these locations through the interactive survey online.”
Residents can participate in a new, five-minute Interactive Mapping Survey available on MyWhiteRiver.com. The survey is modeled from a hands-on activity created for the public meetings that asked attendees to mark locations on a large map of the study area. Attendees shared ideas about the places where they live, work and play. Now, all visitors to the White River Vision Plan website can participate in the same way with the new survey. Times and locations for the next set of community meetings Jan. 29-31 are forthcoming.
Following the 12-month planning period slated for completion in April 2019, the final plan will be shared with the public and a variety of stakeholder groups and organizations. For more information on the White River Vision Plan, or to participate in the interactive survey, visit MyWhiteRiver.com. You can also follow My White River on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About White River Vision Plan
The White River Vision Plan is a joint effort between the City of Indianapolis and Hamilton County Tourism, Inc. in partnership with Visit Indy’s philanthropic arm, Tourism Tomorrow, Inc., to develop a comprehensive and coordinated regional, community-driven plan to enhance 58 miles of the White River in Indianapolis and Hamilton County. The goal of the vision plan is to create an accessible, recreational and cultural environment that encourages a unique sense of place for the community.