Trailside Refresh
Project sponsors and green-thumbed volunteers provide much-needed TLC to bedraggled planting beds along the Fall Creek Parkway and Trail.
Dedicated volunteers and donors give Parkway gardens a new lease on life.
Six planting beds in three parking areas along the Fall Creek Trail, northeast of Kessler Boulevard, were looking scraggly for too long, with more than 60 dead, missing, mismatched, or struggling shrubs. In October 2024, all were replaced by more than 200 healthy, new plants, thanks to a generous team of supporters who care about keeping Millersville beautiful.
The Millersville Beautification team applied for and was awarded a $10,000 neighborhood grant from the Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center. Thank you, INRC! The grant request was primarily focused on this project.
Team Leader Matt Benson led the project working in partnership with David Gorden, landscape architect with Mark M. Holeman, Inc., and with the support of the Indianapolis Department of Public Works Office of Land Stewardship.
David Gorden, landscape architect with Mark M. Holeman, Inc., provides planting instructions to helpers from the Hoosier Youth Challenge Academy.
Helping hands (and strong backs) were recruited from the Hoosier Youth Challenge Academy, where young cadets learn about responsible citizenship by participating in community service and conservation projects.
After the existing shrubs, weeds and mulch were removed, beds were prepped based on the professional design donated by David. Then he and Matt, 13 cadets and two staff members from the Hoosier Youth Challenge Academy, and six more Millersville community volunteers dug holes, planted 210 native ornamental grasses, smoothed, mulched, raked, swept, and cleaned up, leaving behind fresh landscaping ready for the drink it got the next day, for spreading roots through the winter and for growing fuller with the spring rains.
Mulch was donated by Mark M. Holeman, Inc.
Neighbors donated coveted baked treats, snacks, pop and water that kept the cadets going through chill and rain. And neighbors also lent shovels, carts and other needed tools.
To all of our fantastic project supporters, we couldn’t have done this without you! Many, many thanks for helping make these areas something the whole community can be proud of.
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