Poetry for "Moving Forward" bus shelters announced

From more than 100 entries, the following poets and their poems were selected for the three “Moving Forward” bus shelters by Donna Sink:

“Invisible Movements” by Karen Kovacik of Indianapolis
“The Painters” by Richard Pflum of Indianapolis
“The Bowl of Possible Peas” by John Sherman of Indianapolis

Each poet receives a $1,000 honorarium. A poem will be featured on each bus shelter located on the south side of Virginia Avenue near Lexington Street, McCarty Street and Woodlawn Avenue along IndyGo bus routes 12, 14 and 22.

The entries were so impressive that a fourth poem, “City Generation” by Elizabeth Weber of Indianapolis, was chosen and will be placed at “Poet’s Place” on Alabama St. near Marsh the Marketplace. Poet’s Place is dedicated to Jim Shackelford, a retired city planner who was an early Cultural Trail leader and champion.

Read the poems and learn about the selection process.

The shelters will be installed during construction of the Southeast Corridor, from Pennsylvania and Washington streets to Shelby and Prospect streets on Virginia Ave. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall and be completed in late 2011.

Upcoming public meetings

Tuesday, April 13, Noon to 1 p.m., English Foundation Building Efroymson Board Room, 615 N. Alabama St. - Brown bag lunch, open public meeting. Bring your lunch and questions about any segment of the Cultural Trail.

Looking for opportunities to bid on work for one of the Cultural Trail segments? Since segments of the Cultural Trail's construction utilize federal funding, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is the responsible agency for such federally funded projects.  Martha Kenley, director of INDOT's Economic Opportunity Division, will be available to answer any questions about becoming an INDOT certified business.

Brown bag lunch meetings are held monthly.  The next meeting is Tues., May 18, same time and location.

Tuesday, April 13, 3 to 4 p.m., Hyatt Regency, One South Capitol Ave. - Wholesale District Taskforce meeting

Tuesday, April 27, 6 p.m., Fountain Square Theatre Building, 1105 Prospect St. - Southeast Corridor public meeting

Construction updates

North Corridor
(From North St. to American Legion Mall, Walnut St., Canal, St. Clair St. and Indiana Ave. to Blackford St.)

• Finishing asphalt and paving from Canal west to Indiana Ave.
• Installing landscaping soil and plant materials
• St. Clair St. will remain closed until after the intersection treatments are installed in May

The project is scheduled to be completed by May 30. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be scheduled in mid-June.

Northeast Corridor
(From North St. to New Jersey St., Walnut St., Mass Ave., 10th St. to Monon Trail)

• Finishing concrete paver base in alley (see photo); prep for asphalt and pavers
• Pavement removal on northeast end of Mass Ave and Bellefontaine St.
• Installing irrigation pipes in plant beds
• Preparing to pour curbs on northeast end of Mass Ave

Alabama St. & Capitol Ave. - bid May 12
One block on Alabama St. from Market St. to Washington St. and one block on Capitol Ave. from Washington St. to Maryland St. will be bid through INDOT as one construction project on May 12. Construction will be begin approximately 30 days following a successful bid. 

Trailblazers event: Making of the Glick Peace Walk

Members of the Trailblazers Giving Group* are invited to a special reception and an inside preview of the Glick Peace Walk luminary glass sculpture process.

Wednesday, April 28
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
GRT Glass Design
6400 Brookville Rd., Suite B
RSVP to Kendra Patrick by April 23
631.6542 x116 or kendrap@cicf.org

*Become a member of the Trailblazers Giving Group by making a gift of $100 or more today. Your gift will help support the Cultural Trail’s maintenance, public art and community bike program. For more information, contact Gail Payne, 317.713.3333 or Gail@IndyCulturalTrail.org.