Tag: MAP

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Explore Nature at Barlow Landing Canoe & Kayak Launch

From MAP’s October Newsletter:

Located in the 600 block of S Luick Ave on Muncie’s east side, the Barlow Landing Canoe & Kayak Launch is a perfect starting point for your next water adventure. Whether you’re an experienced paddler or just looking for a peaceful escape on the river, this dedicated launch site offers easy access to Muncie’s White River. The launch features a crushed stone ramp that gently slopes down to the riverbank, making it convenient for canoeists and kayakers alike. A designated parking area is available to ensure a smooth experience from the moment you arrive until you’re ready to hit the water.

Barlow Landing is named in honor of John Barlow, a dedicated public servant who spent his 40-year career with the Muncie Sanitary District working tirelessly to preserve the water quality in the area. His legacy lives on through this launch, inviting the community to enjoy the waters he helped protect. Whether you’re exploring the river solo or planning a group outing, Barlow Landing provides a serene entryway to Muncie’s natural beauty. For more information, including tips on planning your trip, visit: destinationmuncie.org/whiteriver.

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Want to know more about the new YMCA building?

Transforming Lives: The Impact of the YMCA

“We are excited about the opening of our new YMCA facility on the campus of Muncie Central High School. This partnership marks a significant step in our mission to support and uplift the community through health, wellness, and education.

Creating Opportunities for All:
Our new facility is more than just a building; it’s a hub for positive change. By providing access to state-of-the-art fitness equipment, diverse exercise classes, and recreational activities, we are empowering individuals to take control of their health and well-being.

Empowering Students:
Integrating the YMCA within Muncie Central High School creates unique opportunities for students. Our programs promote physical wellness, leadership development, workforce development opportunities and academic support, helping students thrive both in and out of the classroom. After-school programs and sports leagues offer safe, engaging environments where young people can build confidence and lifelong skills.

Strengthening Families:
We believe that strong families are the foundation of a strong community. The YMCA offers family-friendly activities and resources that encourage families to spend quality time together. From swim lessons to family fitness classes, we are dedicated to supporting family bonds and fostering healthy habits from a young age.

Enhancing Community Health:
With a focus on holistic wellness, our new facility will provide resources for mental and physical health through our partnership with Open Door Health Services, IU Health and Ball State Healthy Lifestyle Center. Access to group exercise classes like yoga, along with wellness workshops, will ensure that community members have the tools they need to maintain balanced, healthy lifestyles.

Building Community Connections:
The YMCA has always been about community, and our new facility will serve as a gathering place where friendships are formed and support networks are built. We offer spaces for community events, volunteer opportunities, and programs that bring people together to work towards common goals.

Thank you for being a valued member of our YMCA community. Together, we are making Muncie a healthier, stronger, and more connected place to live.

For more information on the YMCA of Muncie, visit us online at www.muncieymca.org“

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2024 MAP Annual Report to the Community

A woman in a gray sweater with her arm around a child in a black hoodie. They are holding a chalkboard on which is written "Welcoming and Open Community!"

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2024 AT 6:00 PM 

Annual Report to the Community Muncie Action Plan (MAP) invites YOU to MAP’s Annual Report to the Community. Join us on Wednesday, January 31st at 6:00 in the Indiana Room at Minnetrista Museum and Gardens for a look back at the last year of MAP activities and learn about the exciting things to come in 2024. 

Incoming MAP Board President, Heather Williams, will present updates on the 2023 MAP activities with highlights from each Task Force leader.

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Halteman Neighborhood Spotlight

Photo of park sign

The expansion of Halteman Park into a Multi-generational Recreational Space project has reached Phase Two. The work will continue to serve as a model for other placemaking endeavors around the city. Click here to learn more about Phase One and how to get involved with Phase Two.

Photo of JP Hall provided by MAP

J.P. Hall, BSU Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation and Associate Chair, recently received the 2023 David Sursa Leadership Award for the impact on Halteman Village and the Muncie community as a whole. 

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Funds Available for Neighborhood-based Projects

Author: Heather Williams, Program Manager Building Better Neighborhoods, Ball State University
Photo: Riverside-Normal City residents Jen Erickson and her daughter Anika wearing their neighborhood t-shirts while setting up for the June 2nd RNC summer picnic.

Muncie, IN is unique among many similar sized communities in the Midwest in that the city is largely broken into neighborhood associations that cover nearly the entire geographic span of the city. If you live within city limits, it’s likely that you live in a neighborhood and there’s a pretty good chance that that neighborhood has an association that meets regularly and is working to constantly improve the area in which you live. Muncie is also unique in that it has several local foundations who understand the importance of grassroots organizations working towards neighborhood revitalization and community building. Ball Brothers Foundation recently awarded a Rapid Grant to Muncie Action Plan to support these local efforts at the neighborhood level.

A similar grant made to MAP in 2016 allowed the Old West End to purchase receptacles for pet waste for the two pocket parks that the neighborhood association installed and continue to manage in partnership with the City of Muncie Parks Department. Also utilizing these past project funds, the Riverside-Normal City Neighborhood Association was provided funding to purchase marketing materials, including t-shirts for residents and window clings that will be displayed in businesses located within the neighborhood. This type of branding helps increase awareness of the neighborhood association that will ultimately help connect students, residents, and businesses, creating a sense of community among neighbors.

East Central Neighborhood Association utilized funds to host their annual Pumpkin Carving event for children in the neighborhood. According to Lynn Thornburg, board member, the funding allowed the association to meet the expectations of the kids who attended, connect with new residents, and collaborate with MadJax, which hosted the event in 2017. Equally important, student volunteers from the College of Architecture and Planning and Phi Delta Gamma were involved in the event, allowing, “neighbors to get to know some of the students on a different level,” and giving, “the students a different perspective of Muncie and the Downtown area.”

In 2018, Muncie will see projects pop-up in neighborhoods across the city and these projects will be resident driven and designed to meet the needs of the neighborhoods in which they are focused. Neighborhoods applying to MAP for these funds will need to meet basic requirements of an organized association and have resident buy-in in the project. But creativity is key, as associations can plan for projects that meet their individual needs. Neighborhoods interested in accessing these project funds should visit the Resources page. Applications will be accepted through July 9th with a funding announcement at the Neighborhood Leadership Council Pool Party at Tuhey Pool on July 17th.