The Indianapolis Plan 2020 is a strategic planning effort led by Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee (GIPC) and the Department of Metropolitan Development to make Indianapolis a better place to live, work and visit. This comprehensive plan lays out initiatives to be completed by the 2020 bicentennial.
As an action-oriented collective, Reconnecting to Our Waterways (ROW) has incorporated goals under the Cultural Destination section of the plan to reclaim the benefits of Indianapolis’ waterways and provide opportunities for physical, human, and economic development.
ROW’s six Element Committees, policy committees led and made-up of respected industry thought leaders, have worked over the past year to collectively create goals that will help accomplish ROW’s mission. The committees vetted ideas that have framed ROW’s past and take the Collective forward over the next four years.
In the end, each committee presented one or two goals to the ROW Steering Committee in November to be incorporated into the Plan 2020 document. They are as follows;
- Initiate one artist-in-residence and local artist database for each ROW waterway. (Aesthetics)
- Increase public access and use of waterway trails, ROW destinations locations, and surrounding communities. (Connectivity)
- Enhance natural beauty, health, and resiliency of waterways. (Ecology)
- Increase in ROW communities’ participation in stewardship activities. (Ecology)
- Increase city tax base and land available for and/or transitioned to other uses within ½ mile of ROW focus waterways. (Economics)
- All ROW projects incorporate educational elements that promote stewardship and the value, importance and/or history of the waterway. (Education)
- Increase of use of the waterways and destination locations by 5% for health and wellness by 2020 through increase use of trails, active and passive programing and installations. (Well-being)
- Increase proportion of women, children and elderly using ROW destination locations. (Well-being)
- Completion of a system-wide, 5-year waterways master plan (Steering Committee)
ROW is connecting with the Plan 2020 initiative to create and enhance compelling cultural destinations along our waterways. ROW partners will be successful when Indianapolis waterways are seen and used as a community asset that provide cultural, economic, and educational opportunities focused at key destinations.
As a Collective Impact, ROW is at its best when like-minded organizations/ institutions/ businesses link arms to make a difference. The Plan 2020 goals will serve as the foundation for ROW’s work on the ground over the next several years.
If your organization’s mission aligns with the goals listed above, please contact ROW Director Corrie Meyer to initiate a partnership to reach success with the Plan 2020 initiative.