New Bus Shelters Offer Poets Opportunity

The Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene & Marilyn Glick announces another public art installation. “Moving Forward,” by Indianapolis-based architect Donna Sink, is a series of three custom-designed eco-friendly bus shelters that will showcase original poetry by published writers. The shelters will be located along the Indianapolis Cultural Trail on the south side of Virginia Ave. near Lexington St., McCarty St. and Woodlawn Ave.

A call for poetry begins this week and submissions are due Nov. 22, 2009. Published poets living in or with ties to Indiana are invited to submit work based on subjects such as community, neighborhoods, landmarks, shared spaces, transportation, history and the future. Poets must have published at least one poem in a print magazine or anthology prior to submitting work for “Moving Forward.” Selected poems may have been published previously.

The Writers’ Center of Indiana is administering the selection process with out of state jurors. Authors of the three selected poems will each receive a $1,000 award. Selections will be announced in March 2010. Poems will be displayed in their entirety on a stainless steel panel on the shelter. Excerpts of the poem will be embedded in ecoresin panels.

“Moving Forward” is the sixth public-art installation planned for the eight-mile Indianapolis Cultural Trail that will connect each of the downtown cultural districts with a uniquely designed pedestrian and bicycle path.

For more information about "Moving Forward" and to download the official call for poets visit www.IndyCulturalTrail.org.

ICVA promotes Cultural Trail in new video

In the latest episode of "Doing Indy," the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association (ICVA) promotes Indy's greenway trails by highlighting the Monon Trail and the Indianapolis Cultural Trail.

http://indianapolisculturaltrail.createsend5.com/t/r/l/dilhtu/awtrul/j.

You can also catch "Doing Indy" on Brighthouse Cable - "Channel 600" and Comcast VOD - "Get Local."

Construction Updates

NORTHEAST CORRIDOR - connecting North and Alabama streets to the Monon Trail at 10th St. View before and after photos and renderings of this corridor.

TRAFFIC ALERT - North St. will be one-way westbound for approximately one week beginning Sept. 14 while crews repave the roadway. Paving will also occur on New Jersey St. from North St. to Walnut St. and Walnut St. from New Jersey St. to Park Ave. over the next two to three weeks.

THIS WEEK -- Crews will be working on the following areas:
Asphalt walk on 10th St.
Pipe and structures at St. Clair St. and College Ave.
Concrete walk at Mass Ave. and Bellefontaine St.
Prep for curb on Walnut St. from East St. to Park St. and one on College Ave.

NEXT WEEK
Pour curb on Walnut St. from East St. to Park Ave.
Finish concrete walk on 10th St.
Pavement at Bellefontaine St. and Mass Ave.
Begin repaving road on North St. (traffic restricted to one-way westbound)

WEEK OF SEPT. 21
Begin repaving on New Jersey St. from North St. to Walnut St. Currently one-way northbound. No parking in this area during repaving.
North St. opens.
Concrete paver base on Walnut St. from East St. to Park Ave.
Pour curb on College Ave.

NORTH CORRIDOR - connecting North and Alabama streets to Indiana Ave.

NEXT TWO WEEKS -- Crews will be working on the following areas:
Finishing storm sewer work on at North St. and Delaware St.
Paving north side of Walnut St. between Capitol Ave. and Illinois St.
Tearing out the south side of Walnut St. in the same area.
Walnut St. currently one-way westbound between Meridian St. and Illinois St.
This week, Illinois St. to Capitol Ave. will become one-way westbound.
Tearing up sidewalk on west side of Senate Ave. at Walnut St. to bore holes for conduit.
Tearing out median on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. (MLK) at St. Clair St.
Left turn lane from northbound MLK onto St. Clair St. has been permanently eliminated.
St. Clair St. from Indiana Ave. to California remains closed for pouring concrete and repaving St. Clair St.
Once this area is finished, St. Clair St. from California St. to MLK will be closed for approximately two weeks.

Click here to view photos of the ongoing construction.

Click here to view photos of the completed Cultural Trail on Alabama St. from North St. to Market St.

Next Brown Bag Meeting: Tues., Sept. 22

Monthly brown bag meetings will resume to provide additional opportunities for construction updates. Meetings will be held 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. in the English Foundation Building, 615 N. Alabama St.

Please save the date for upcoming meetings: Sept. 22, Oct. 20, Nov. 17, Dec. 15

Neighborhood Exploration Tour (NExT), Sept. 26

The Neighborhood Exploration Tour (NExT) is a new bike tour through the heart of Indianapolis that connects you to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis Art Center and Indianapolis Museum of Art. This 15 mile route along city streets, the Monon Trail and Canal Towpath is meant to encourage everyone -- adults and children, commuter and casual cyclists alike -- to explore these wonderful neighborhoods in the heart of Marion County and discover how fun and easy it can be to visit some of Indy's best arts and cultural destinations by bike.

Save the date: Sat., Sept. 26, 9:00 a.m. and complete FREE registration online.
Start from any of the destinations listed above and go exploring!

For more information, contact Anthony Bridgeman: communityevents@childrensmuseum.org or 317.334.4137.