Celebrating Arbor Day (April 25) and Earth Day (April 26)

The Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene & Marilyn Glick is celebrating Arbor Day a week early this year. Starting today, we are planting 61 trees along the East Corridor or Alabama Street from North St. to Market St. This more than doubles the number of trees that were removed due to construction. In coming weeks, 16,000 square feet of other plantings will be installed in the East Corridor plant beds. For more information on the plant palette and Indiana-native and other plant varieties, visit www.IndyCulturalTrail.org.

Celebrate Arbor Day, Friday, April 25, on Monument Circle. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and Indianapolis Power and Light will give away free trees and free tree coupons at noon until they are gone!

In honor of Earth Day, Saturday, April 26, the Cultural Trail is pleased to report that the trail’s site furnishings and pavers are made of recycled materials:

Percentage of Recycled Material Content:
Asphalt Pavers: 11-23%
Benches: 48%
Trash Receptacles: 61%
Bike Racks: 65%

It’s one more way the Cultural Trail is improving our downtown environment today and for future generations.

"Bilbao, the Eiffel Tower, …and the Indianapolis Cultural Trail?"

That’s how the article on the Indianapolis Cultural Trail is listed in the table of contents of the April issue of Metropolis magazine. The magazine, distributed worldwide and self-characterized as “Architecture<Culture<Art,” is well worth holding. Or check it out online: "Winning Lap: ­Indianapolis hopes to make its cultural mark with a bike-and-pedestrian path that loops through the heart of town."  There’s no doubt that the Cultural Trail is putting Indianapolis on the global map in ways never previously achieved.

April Brown Bag Lunch: Tues., April 22

Location: Indianapolis Metropolitan Professional Firefighters Union Local 416, 748 Massachusetts Ave. (entrance on St. Clair St.; parking available at street meters).

Our monthly, fourth Tuesday of the month meeting begins at 12 noon and ends by 1 p.m. Please feel free to bring your own lunch and beverages.

Next Brown Bag: May 27
Location: Scottish Rite Cathedral, Double Eagle Cafe and Truman conference room,    650 N. Meridian St.
Parking: lot west of building or across Walnut Street.
Instead of bringing your brown bag, try something from Double Eagle Cafe!

For a 2008 schedule, visit www.IndyCulturalTrail.org/GetInvolved.

Bike Tour: Sat., May 3, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Join Brian Payne for a tour of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail. Be one of the first to take a tour of the entire 7.5-mile route and learn how the Trail came together, how it will impact our city and get the latest on its progress.

Please note that the Indianapolis Mini Marathon will be underway May 3. The tour will be guided to best avoid this traffic.

Bike tours are held the first Saturday of each month through October. Tours are free and limited to 20 cyclists. For more information or to register, visit www.IndyCulturalTrail.org/GetInvolved.

Bike to Work Day, Friday, May 16

The goal of Indianapolis Bike to Work Day is to promote bicycle commuting as a viable mode of transportation in the greater metropolitan Indianapolis area and for all to consider the benefits - a more active lifestyle, less traffic congestion and a healthier community. Organized by the Indiana Bicycle Coalition (IBC), this event encourages you to leave your cars at home for the day and ride your bikes to work.

IBC and its sponsors provide safe route suggestions, breakfast at 7 a.m., and free bike parking on the Circle from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Corporate groups can also compete in the Corporate Challenge.

For more information, visit www.bicycleindiana.org or call 317.466.9701.

Construction Update

The East Corridor (Alabama Street) will be complete by May 30. The finishing touches include the trees and other plantings and intersection treatment installation.

The next two corridors will begin back to back this fall:
Northeast Corridor (North St. and Alabama St. to 10th St. and the Monon Trail) – tentatively September construction

North Corridor (North St. and Alabama St. to Indiana Ave. and Blackford St.) – tentatively October construction

For more information about the construction schedule visit http://www.indyculturaltrail.org/timeline.html or call 317.713.3333.