Connecting communities to opportunity: Celebrating the Indianapolis Cultural Trail Expansion

The Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick is a great example of what is possible when philanthropy, government, businesses and community collaborate with the goal of creating opportunity for all. As the Indianapolis Cultural Trail Inc. celebrates the opening of the first two expansions of the Trail this year, we wanted to reflect on the cause of celebration behind these projects. The new segment along Indiana Avenue and 10th Street that opened in June marks a significant milestone in our city’s journey toward greater connectivity and community enrichment. It also represents the community’s full embrace of “the Avenue” as not only a part of our history, but a fundamental piece of our future. Donors to the Indianapolis Foundation and Central Indiana Community Foundation understood the promise of the Cultural Trail when it was just an idea. IF and CICF provided the civic backbone, bringing together these diverse partners who turned this idea into a reality. The present-day efforts of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail Inc. continue to show how deliberate and thoughtful urban planning can be used to unlock opportunity. It demonstrates that strategic, community-focused investments can lead to tangible benefits for residents — everything from improved...