The Ball State Daily News wrote a wonderful article about our very own Southside Neighborhood Association President, Courtney Marsh. You can check out the full article online HERE.
Neighborhoods in the News – Southside!
Won’t You Be Our Neighbor!
It’s going to be a beautiful day in the neighborhood on Saturday, June 7, 2025 at Canan Commons for BE MY NEIGHBOR DAY 2025!
The free family event, set for 1 to 4 p.m., will include an appearance by none other than DANIEL TIGER, star of DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD on PBS KIDS.
At the heart of this event is the importance of being neighborly. So why not learn about some of our community’s greatest neighbors?
A map will lead children through the streets of a very special neighborhood, where they will meet people from community centers, arts organizations, charity groups and much more. At each booth, kids will be able to participate in fun activities, many designed to show the importance of being a good neighbor.
Parents and caregivers will discover ways to give back, from volunteer opportunities to support local arts and culture. Once the maps are completed, kids can claim their Good Neighbor awards!
Neighborhood Associations Matter
Building Better Neighborhoods (BBN) was created in 2014 to provide a bridge between the resources of Ball State University and the needs of Muncie’s neighborhoods. Over the last eleven years, the program has helped neighborhoods across the city develop strong neighborhood associations and that work is tracked annually using the “Spectrum of Development”. The Spectrum survey asks neighborhoods to self-report on a number of development factors like whether they have an elected Board of Directors, if they meet regularly, and how they communicate with their residents. This information allows BBN to develop trainings that match the needs of the neighborhoods to assist them in moving along the Spectrum if that is their collective wish.
Why do functioning neighborhood associations matter? Because they facilitate achieving common goals by providing a single, unified voice for the neighborhood. Associations improve quality of life by organizing and helping residents work towards preservation and improvements within the neighborhoods. And they build community by planning and holding social events that bring neighbors together.
If you would like to get involved in your area, but don’t know where to start, choose your neighborhood from this list to learn more, or contact your neighborhood leader.
Spring Cleanups
It’s time to clean! MSD is partnering with our neighborhoods this May to help clean up our streets and alleys. If your neighborhood is not hosting an event, please consider volunteering to help another neighborhood. Facebook events are linked when available.
May 3rd
Old West End – 7:45 AM | Meet at Clifton-Wallace Park
Industry – 7:45 AM | Meet in Heekin Park at corner of 9th & Penn
Thomas Park/Avondale – 7:45 AM | Meet at Thomas Park
South Central – 7:45 AM | Meet at the Community Garden on 7th St.
May 10th
McKinnley – 8:00 AM | Meet at the Daycare on Columbus Ave.
Riverside/Normal City – 7:45 AM | Meet at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
Whitely – 8:00 AM | Meet at the Buley Center
May 17th
Southside – 7:45 AM | Meet at Frankie D’s Flea Market
East Central – 7:45 AM | Meet at the corner of Vine and Main
NLC 2025-2026 Training Schedule
EVERYONE is welcome. You don’t have to hold an official role in your neighborhood to attend. Anyone interested in getting involved is invited!
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.
2023 Spectrum of Development Update
Building Better Neighborhoods (BBN) was established as a program of Ball State University in 2014. Over the last ten years BBN has helped neighborhood associations meet development goals that fall within the “Spectrum of Development”. These include things like registering at the Indiana Secretary of State as a non-profit and acquiring a bank account in the name of the association. BBN has also assisted in setting up social media accounts and providing sample Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation. Every neighborhood is different, and their needs are unique. BBN strives to meet every neighborhood where they are in their development journey and provide the assistance required to get them where they want to be to best meet the needs of their residents.