Kyle Johnson, Director of the Delaware County GIS Department presented at the March 2015 Neighborhood President’s Council meeting. In response to audience interest, Kyle created an online map of Muncie that includes the ability to view the following data:
Properties in Multiple Tax Sales (unsold tax delinquent properties)
Muncie Street and Park Trees
Crime Density (all Crimes 2009-2014)
Hardest Hit Funds Demolitions Properties (round 1 & 2)
Parcels (links to Beacon for info)
Fire Hydrants
Bicycle Friendly Roads
Bike Lanes
Art & Culture Trail
Greenways & Trails
Muncie Historic Districts
Parcels with Homestead Exemptions (owner occupied)
Neighborhood Boundaries
UBHA properties (all properties brought before the Unsafe Building hearing Authority since 2012)
Muncie Sidewalks
Zoning
In order to view the above listed layers, please click on “Content” in the left hand side of the browser. You will be able to turn layers on and off by checking the individual boxes.
– Here is an infographic (pdf) of why neighborhoods are important
– AARP created an online index of livability that rates communities across the nation for the services and amenities that impact our lives. Take a look to see how Muncie was rated.
– Place matters, especially for children. The New York Times published an interactive map that compares the potential for a child’s future success depending on where they live. This information is part of a larger studyundertaken by the Equality of Opportunity Project on how we can improve economic opportunities for low-income children. The most recent phase of this project looks at how neighborhoods affect upward mobility.
– The American Planning Association published an Urban Naturalist Guide based on “Genius of Common Sense,” by Glenna Lang and Marjorie Wunsch, which describes Jane Jacobs’s life and her insightful ideas about communities. The guide provides instructions on how to observe the community characteristics that make neighborhoods “vibrant, safe, and interesting places to live and visit.”
This issue of Geography and Public Safety looks at topics, definitions, and technologies that demonstrate that neighborhoods matter. It shows how to use data about neighborhoods to combat crime and other public safety problems.
Director: Ben Redar
Producer: Chris Kosinski
Executive Producer: Chris Flook
Assistant Director: Brad Dailey
Cinematographer: R. Aaron Webster
Interviewees: James Connolly, Lauren Connor, Jud Fisher, Bruce Geelhoed, Karen Vincent
Music: Barbara De Biasi
Voice-Over: Michael Dangerfield
1st Assistant Camera: Rachel Hopkins and Olivia Laird
2nd Assistant Camera: Haley Turk
Camera Operator: Joe Sailer
Chief Lighting Technician: Daniel Johnson
Grips: Mark Miller and Jillian Clark
Production Sound Mixer: Miranda Wuestefeld
Story by: Ben Redar and Chris Flook
Research: Ronald V. Morris and Chris Flook
Editors: Ben Redar and Chris Flook
Colorist: R. Aaron Webster
Motiongraphics and Animation: Chris Flook
Funding: Ball Brothers Foundation
Special Thanks: The Ball Brothers Foundation, Minnetrista, Kelli Huth, Stacey Alexander, John Straw, Neil Coil, Earl Conn, Augusta Wray, Susan Smith, Karen Vincent, Betty Brewer, Jud Fisher, Kris Scott, Jarred Scott, Tim Pollard, Joshua Carroll, Bracken Archives and Special Collections, Terry King, Lori Byers, Roger Lavery
The Neighborhood Leadership Council is an initiative of the Muncie Action Plan that brings together neighborhood association leaders from across the city of Muncie to share best practices, take advantage of educational opportunities, and connect with local resources and area non-profits. The group meets on the third Tuesday of each month on the third floor of the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center (400 W. Minnetrista Pkwy) at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Can you believe it’s already April?! Our regularly scheduled monthly meeting is Tuesday, April 15th from 6-7 p.m. at the E.B. Ball Center on Minnetrista Parkway. We’ll see you on the third floor for the presentation, “Why Neighborhoods Matter.”
And remember, if you’re a 2025-2026 CenterPoint Scholar, we’ll see you at 5:00!
Thanks to funding provided by CenterPoint Energy Foundation, we have developed a training schedule for our Neighborhood Leadership Council / CenterPoint Scholar meetings that we hope will help build everyone’s leadership capacity. Here’s what you can look forward to over the next 12 months!
Tuesday, April 15 6-7 PM The Importance of Neighborhoods
Tuesday, October 14 6-7 PM CenterPoint Scholar Project Pitch
Tuesday, May 20 6-7 PM Effective Communication – Listening with your Eyes
Tuesday, November 18 6-7 PM Celebrating Lessons Learned
Tuesday, June 17 6-7 PM How to Fund your Association’s Work
Tuesday, January 20 6-7 PM Recruitment
Tuesday, July 15 7-9 PM Neighborhoods Pool Party @ Tuhey
Tuesday, February 17 6-7 PM Stakeholder Meet and Greet & CenterPoint Scholar Presentations
Tuesday, August 19 6-7 PM Conflict Management
IDEA Conference – March 7 9 AM – 3 PM
Tuesday, September 16 6-7 PM Resident Listening
Come hungry! We always provide dinner at the start of the training.
Have time for a quick survey?
Mitch Isaacs, Executive Director of Shafer Leadership Academy is reaching out on behalf of the Muncie Youth Leadership Program. One of their student teams is working on a project about the Unity Bridge—aimed at raising awareness and celebrating it as a symbol of connection.
They’ve created a short survey to gather community input about updating the Unity Bridge and would love your help sharing it through your neighborhood networks.
The project is supported by Muncie Arts, 8–12 / Habitat, and Councilwoman Ro Selvey, who has also spoken to the mayor. The students plan to share results at the May City Council meeting.
A group of Ball State students is collecting community input on climate change. Please take a few minutes to fill out their survey and share with your networks. Your help is greatly appreciated!
Gardens can be a great way to beautify your neighborhood, mitigate small scale flooding and drainage issues, and even produce fresh food for the community.
Gardens in Muncie
The Muncie Urban Garden Initiative (UGI) networks resources and community engagement to encourage more local urban food production. Gardens in the UGI network cover 1.75 acres across Muncie; these do not include hundreds of backyard gardens that are in production as well.
UGI has many resources for potential gardeners, including a Facebook page, books, tools, rototiller, straw, compost, seeds, plants, and experienced gardeners to educate. If your neighborhood, church, school, or business.
Muncie also has an Urban Garden Committee. They have compiled a map of urban garden resources that you can view here.
Local Farmer’s Markets
Flavor Fresh Mobile Market Tree Hill Farms
Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays
(Locations, start times, & options vary)
Rain gardens are shallow landscaped area that collects rain water from roofs, driveways, sidewalks and lawns and filters it through soil and plants before it enters storm drains or streams.
