Lilly Foundation Supports Indianapolis Cultural Trail Expansion with $1M Grant
Cultural Trail plays crucial role in connecting neighborhoods and enhancing quality of life
We’re excited to announce that the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation is making a $1 million grant to support the expansion of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick.
“The last year has highlighted the important role the Indianapolis Cultural Trail plays in promoting physical and mental well-being by providing our community access to free, accessible, and safe open space,” said Kären Haley, Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc executive director. “This generous investment from the Lilly Foundation will allow even more people to take advantage of the Trail and will better connect our city’s thriving neighborhoods.”
“The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is a true treasure for our community,” said Tiffany Benjamin, president of the Lilly Foundation. “Now more than ever, it’s proving key to sustaining the health and vitality of our residents and visitors – and will play an even greater role as we all work to recover socially, physically, and economically from the pandemic. The Lilly Foundation is proud to be part of the public-private partnership that supports the Trail and the extensive cultural, economic, and community benefits it offers.
Expected to be completed in 2022, the expansion will add two miles of pathway to the iconic eight-mile Cultural Trail, which attracts more than 1 million users annually. Design for the expansion is currently underway and construction is estimated to start in late summer of this year.
The project will cost an estimated $30 million. In addition to the $1 million from the Lilly Foundation, another $26 million has been committed. Indianapolis Cultural Trail Inc., the non-profit organization that is responsible for the Cultural Trail, is continuing to fundraise for the rest.
Currently in design, the expansion includes two distinct segments:
Indiana Avenue/10th Street
The Indiana Avenue expansion will connect directly to the Madam Walker Legacy Center on Indiana Avenue and continue north to 10th Street. It will then head east on 10th Street to the planned bridge leading to the 16 Tech Innovation District.
South Street
The South Street expansion will bring the Indianapolis Cultural Trail from New Jersey Street to Capitol Avenue, improving access in a thriving stretch of downtown that includes Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indiana Convention Center and a growing residential hub. The new section will also create a beautiful connection between downtown and near Southside neighborhoods and the Stadium Village area.
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About Indianapolis Cultural Trail Inc.
The Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc., a 501c3 organization, is the world class leader in urban trails and linear parks and is committed to a sustainable funding model that ensures accessible connections for future generations on the Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick.
About Eli Lilly and Company Foundation
Established in 1968, the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation is a private, tax-exempt organization that makes strategic and philanthropic investments consistent with Eli Lilly and Company’s purpose of making life better. The Lilly Foundation’s areas of focus include improving health for people living in communities with limited resources, strengthening communities, supporting racial justice and improving education opportunities for children living in underserved neighborhoods.