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welcome! Our second White River Vision Plan community open house The White River Vision Plan is a community-driven process in Indianapolis and Hamilton County to develop a holistic vision and comprehensive plan that explores the enormous potential of our river to enhance regional vibrancy, ecological integrity, livability and economic vitality. 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. The Vision Plan would not be possible without the concerted efforts of our shareholder partners, the White River Alliance, Friends of the White River, and Reconnecting Our Waterways. Our study area Hamilton County and Indianapolis Why plan regionally? The Central Indiana White River ADAMS JACKSON WHITE RIVER study area is one mile wide US - 31 and extends for 58 miles from Lafayette Trace Park in Hamilton CLARE County to Southwestway Park in Indianapolis. Between these parks, STRAWTOWN two counties and multiple cities, NORTH NOBLESVILLE neighborhoods, tributaries and major infrastructure systems lie US - 38 alongside the White River. This plan is an opportunity to better connect all of these individual US - 32 NOBLESVILLE WASHINGTON WAYNE elements together through the power of a river vision, creating a region that is stronger than the RIVER ROAD sum of its parts. I - 69 CARMEL FISHERS CLAY US - 31 DELAWARE FALL CREEK ELLER ROAD KEYSTONE AT THE CROSSING NORTH CENTRAL CASTLETON MERIDIAN HILLS/ WILLIAMS CREEK CLEARWATER I - 465 WILLIAMS CREEK ALLISONVILLE RAVENSWOOD DELAWARE TRAILS GLENDALE MERIDIAN HILLS BROAD RIPPLE I - 69 CROWS NEST NORTH CROW’S NEST MERIDIAN KESSLER CROW’SWYNNEDALE/ NEST SPRING HILL ROCKY RIPPLE LAWRENCE HIGHWOODS ROCKY RIPPLE EAGLEDALE SPRING HILLS I - 465 RIVERSIDE MARIAN-COLDWYNNEDALE SPRINGS I - 70 I - 65 INDIANAPOLIS I - 465 DOWNTOWN NEAR WESTSIDE WARREN PARK CUMBERLAND NEAR SOUTHSIDE WEST INDIANAPOLIS I - 65 MAYWOOD GARFIELD PARK I - 70 MARS HILL NORTH PERRY I - 465 BEECH GROVE SUNSHINE GARDENS VALLEY MILLS LEGEND SOUTHERN DUNES White River WEST NEWTON HOMECROFT Mile Study Area Buffer SOUTHPORT Incorporated Area Major Roads Rail 0 1 2 4 8 N MILES SCALE 1: 80,000 Phase One Our Process April - September 2018 The White River Vision Plan will Forecasting our journey together inventory past planning efforts, identify ownership along the river, development and mobility patterns, demographic and economic trends, and environmental systems. It includes research on ecological and hydrologic conditions and water quality along the river. Discovery Thank you for participating! Analyzing the River Today Find out more about what your OPEN HOUSE #1 communities had to say on our engagement board. Phase Two September - January 2019 We will develop a long list of destinations and opportunities based on our Phase One analysis and your ideas from this meeting. Programming and market research, and unique riverfront features and events will be considered. We will draw attention to areas of unusual ecological, historical, cultural, scientific or aesthetic significance. Envision Hello and welcome back! We need you to help guide the Imagining Possibilities Vision and tell us your aspirations OPEN HOUSE #2 for the river. After today’s conversations, we will develop concepts, programs and designs for sites in both counties. Phase Three January - May 2019 Action We hope to see you in January! Focusing on Implementation! We will ask for your reactions OPEN HOUSE #3 to the concept plans and draft plan recommendations. The vision plan will provide guidance for the Central Indiana community to implement the plan ideas over time. We will share a draft plan document on our website for comments and submit a final plan in Spring, 2019. For more information, visit our website: mywhiteriver.com What we heard You had a lot to say, and we were ready to listen! Will the protection of the property rights of riparian owners, especially farmers, be a priority in the plan? Will the protection of the property rights of riparian owners, especially I am thrilled to hear that the White River farmers, be a priority in the plan? I am thrilled to hear that the White River is becoming a priority for the city! It is a is becoming a priority for the city! It is a huge resource and if done right, can be huge resource and if done right, can be I have many happy memories canoeing and another big draw to the city. another big draw to the city. fishing, and my parents even got married on an island on the river. I look forward to seeing the river become a sought-after destination. Phase One Participation Almost 200 people attended Top 5 responses public meetings, 900 people commented online, and 300 people participated in existing events. Over three-quarters of the comments proposed ideas for the White River. Responses in public meetings and online spanned a range of topics. Recreation ideas were the most talked about, followed by healthy growth opportunities and concerns about property and overdevelopment. 50 100 150 We are off to a great start in Phase Two! Phase One Participation So far, 520 people have taken How do you get to the river? the online survey. Over three-quarters of the Motorized boat comments proposed ideas for the 4% White River. Kayak, tube, canoe 11% Car The top ten destinations are: 36% #1 Indianapolis Canal and Cultural Trail #2 Indianapolis Museum of Art #3 Broad Ripple Park #4 Indianapolis Zoo 20% Bicycle #5 White River State Park #6 Holliday Park #7 Central Canal Tow Path #8 Conner Prairie 26% #9 Victory Field .5% Wheelchair #10 Lucas Oil Stadium Walk/Run 1% Bus 2% Other A selection of responses to the My dream is for my question, In 5 to 10 years, what is your grandchildren to be able to I would like to see improved upkeep along the river, dream for the White River? How should it help farm the land I now farm better lighting, continued trail paths like the white grow and change, or what is important to river greenway. keep the same? I would love to see river development It becomes a cultural hub along downtown Noblesville to support similar to 75-100 years ago restaurant and bars with outdoor seating. Framework Planning How will we plan for the future? The White River Vision Plan uses a physical framework to help define a shared vision for the future White River. A framework is a strategy for an integrated vision, one that respects the varied nature of the river and the opporutnities that places along the river US - 31 present for the future. The CLARE following framework seeks to embrace and understand STRAWTOWN existing, vibrant communities to NORTH help make better decisions that NOBLESVILLE protect their shared legacy and US - 38 support healthy growth. There are three US - 32 NOBLESVILLE emerging RIVER ROAD frameworks: I - 69 Reaches CARMEL There are six sections of the FISHERS river, each with a distinct US - 31 ELLER ROAD character that contribute to KEYSTONE AT the varied nature of the river THE CROSSING NORTH CENTRAL CASTLETON experience. MERIDIAN HILLS/ WILLIAMS CREEK CLEARWATER I - 465 ALLISONVILLE RAVENSWOOD Anchors DELAWARE TRAILS GLENDALE BROAD RIPPLE I - 69 Commercial corridors, CROWS NEST historic districts, and cultural MERIDIAN KESSLER WYNNEDALE/ destinations are catalysts for SPRING HILL new opportunities along this ROCKY RIPPLE 58-mile stretch. EAGLEDALE I - 465 RIVERSIDE MARIAN-COLD SPRINGS I - 70 I - 65 Flows INDIANAPOLIS I - 465 Hamilton County and DOWNTOWN Indianapolis have a strong NEAR WESTSIDE network of trails and NEAR SOUTHSIDE WEST INDIANAPOLIS roadways to and along I - 65 MAYWOOD the river. There are GARFIELD PARK opportunities to build on I - 70 the existing system and MARS HILL NORTH PERRY create a complete multi- I - 465 modal system that focuses SUNSHINE GARDENS on the river as a major VALLEY MILLS transportation corridor. LEGEND SOUTHERN DUNES White River WEST NEWTON Mile Study Area Buffer Incorporated Area Major Roads Rail 0 1 2 4 8 N MILES SCALE 1: 80,000 experience nature What opportunities do the River’s natural and engineered elements bring? A Connected Waterway The White River and its wide floodplains are essential ecological resources for the US - 31 STRAWTOWN KOTEEWI PARK region. They provide valuable habitat for wildlife, recreational Strawtown Koteewi Park amenities for people, and The wide floodplain of this free-flowing stretch drainage for a wide reaching of the River is flanked by extensive agriculture, grasslands and lowland forests including protected watershed. open space at Strawtown Koteewi Park. Human development, dam infrastructure and flood Riverwood Dam protection have critically US - 38 Below the dam, the River flows freely through a large floodplain with limited impacted these functions. development and unique lowland forest Rehabilitating the River’s and savanna-like ecology health and function must US - 32 NOBLESVILLE balance the need for security CICERO CREEK with the aspiration to restore key ecosystem services. CICERO CREEK The places circled on the map are key opportunities Conner Prairie I - 69 for investment to make the This free flowing stretch of river is river and its natural systems unaffected by dam pooling downstream.CARMEL The floodplain is developed but still healthier and safer. contains public and private open space FISHERS and high quality wetlandUS - 31 habitats. TOWN RUN TRIAL/FISHERS PARK MARROTT PARK Broad Ripple I - 465 This developed stretch includes HOLLIDAY PARK opportunities to retrofit the Williams Creek and Broad Ripple Dams. It connects to intact mature forest Marrott Park Nature Preserve and Holliday Park. VIRGINIA FAIRBANKS ART & NATURE PARK I - 465 I - 70 Downtown River I - 65 This excellent urban wildlife area includes INDIANAPOLIS dam retrofit opportunities at the 16th Street and Chevy Dams. The river is straddled by levees in this stretch.