The Bates Hendricks Neighborhood Association met Monday, August 5, 2013. President John Winter
welcomed everyone and any new attendees stand and introduce themselves.
Joe Jarzen from Keep Indianapolis Beautiful was present to give us a report about the Singleton Park
Project. He gave us a general overview of the Adopt-A-Block Program. Several residents are block
captains for their block. There is help for these areas with equipment and dumpsters for cleanups
and flowers and trees to plant. He explained the WIN program to report high grass and weeds to get
them taken care of quickly. We were reminded that any properties belonging to the Department of
Metropolitan Development are a separate program and are not included in the WIN program. He
brought us up-to-date with the Singleton Project which covers quite a large area. All the asphalt has
been removed and large foundations from an electric substation (which were too heavy to remove)
have been trimmed and are located at the back of the park. A couple of work days are coming up.
One project is to build a shelter for the area. There is hope that benches and grills can be done also.
Rob Uppencamp also announced that someone had donated some playground equipment for the
park. Joe announced two work days are being planned for planting, sod or seeding and spraying
weeds. There will be a need for many volunteers to help on these two days. KIB will maintain this
area for two years but after that it will be up to us to maintain.
Tami Stevens also from KIB was present to talk about the Great Indy Cleanup which will be Saturday,
October 26th. KIB has 100 volunteers coming in to the neighborhood to help, they will provide needed
tools and the city will provide two packer trucks to haul away trash and debris. She requested the
need for volunteers from the neighborhood to work along with the KIB volunteers. It is important to
show that we are vested in our neighborhood. It is also important that we develop a list of work that
needs to be done.
Lisa Laflin, our Mayor’s Neighborhood Liaison was present to report on the I-65/I-70 south split
project that will be starting in August and should last about 59 days. She gave us a handout
explaining which exits would be closed. For a copy of this information on these closings go to
www.Southsplit.in.gov. She also told us that a different project next spring will replace the East Street
bridge over I-70, which greatly impacts our neighborhood. The Greeways Master Planning
Committee will meet on August 29th, 6 pm at the Garfield Park Art Center. There have been some
changes in the Neighborhood Liaison office. Lisa will attend our neighborhood meetings every other
month starting in October. The Rebuild Indy Funds received from the selling of the water company
have all been used. We will notice a slow down of demolition of abandoned houses and new streets
and sidewalks.
State Representative Justin Moed was present to remind of some new laws that went into effect on
July 1st. One of the laws limits who can sell metal especially catalytic converters. It is hoped that the
theft of these items will be slowed. The Good Samaritan Law has been expanded to include removal
of graffiti. Vacant lots the do not sell at the tax sale will be available to neighboring property owners
at a very reasonable price.
Rob and John announced that the Good Neighbor Weekend will be November 2nd and 3rd. Immanual
United Church of Christ and Northview Christian Church will provide hundreds of volunteers and
financial help to conduct cleaning up and building up projects in the neighborhood. This is the
weekend after the Great Indy Cleanup where we can continue to beautify our neighborhood. Again
we will need neighbors to work alongside the outside volunteers.
Respectfully submitted, Lydia Brasher
