Indianapolis, IN
Part of Monument Circle closes down as Spark returns
INDIANAPOLIS — Spark on the Circle has returned and closed closing down a quarter of Monument Circle to traffic for the second straight year.
Last year, Spark shut down the southwest quadrant of Monument Circle. This year’s version is on the northwest quadrant.
Organizer Jim Walker, executive director of Big Car Collaborative, “Each time, we’re learning something and we’re getting numbers and data and observations that say, ‘Well, here’s what might work.’”
Last year, Spark saw 78,000 people use the pop-up park in five months. Organizers anticipate more people this year because it’ll be open for an additional month.
A welcome truck will greet people with friendly faces.
“It’s about making a space that’s really comfortable and welcoming neighborly, inclusive,” Walker said.
One person who works on the Circle likes the park but doesn’t like the disruption to traffic. Phil Isenbarger said, “I’d like to see traffic go all the way around the Circle, but, as long as it’s temporary thing, I think that makes more sense.”
Would Isenbarger be oppose to a permanent Spark on the Circle? “Yeah, I wouldn’t want to close off the Circle,” he said.
The city’s ultimate goal is to close down at least part of the Circle and make the park permanent.
Iris Dillon, Indianapolis administrator of programing and public use, said, “We are working toward figuring it out because, of course, with the city, everything takes funding, and so the conversations are happening.”
Part of those conversations center around where a permanent park will go and how much of the Circle will close down. This year’s test will be to see if the park will make the northwest quadrant more viable for businesses.
Walker said, “It’s not being utilized very well, so one of the things that this kind of thing can do is bring energy to a space that could use a little more energy.”
Whatever the outcome of the park, it’s not the city’s mission to just force a version of Spark on the Circle that people don’t want.
“We’re all really here to adjust and adapt to what they think and not to just, like, ‘Well, too bad,’” Walker said.
Indianapolis, IN
Pacers Bikeshare hits 1 million rides since launch in 2014
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Pacers Bikeshare just recorded it’s 1 millionth ride since the program launch in 2014 according to a Thursday press release.
With the addition of two new programs, Pacers Bikeshare has seen significant growth in the past two years.
In 2024, they added the Indy Rides Free program with gives all Marion County Residents a free annual pass and free 30 minute rides in 2024.
In 2025, Pacers Bikeshare added stations at Butler University and created a Butler University pass which provides free access for Butler students, faculty and staff.
2025 was the most active in Pacers Bikeshare history with over 200,000 total rides.
Executive Director of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Kären Haley, said in a release, “Even with the cold and snow, Indy has embraced bikeshare as part of everyday life. More and more people are choosing bikeshare to commute, run errands, explore the city and stay active.”
Operated by Indianapolis Cultural Trail in partnership with the City of Indianapolis, Pacers Bikeshare provides a convenient, and sustainable transportation option throughout Indianapolis.
Indianapolis, IN
Homelessness census aims to guide resource allocation in Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention on Monday night was conducting its yearly homelessness census.
Volunteers took to the streets to count how many people in Indianapolis are experiencing homelessness. The count includes people living in shelters, transitional housing, and unsheltered locations.
The count is federally mandated and has been required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development since 2005.
Along with the count, volunteers carry clothing, hygiene items and other supplies.
Volunteer Aaron Shaw said, “Out there on the streets, they run into a lot of issues and a lot of chaos and problems. We just like to be out there to give them somebody to talk to, a bridge between them and the services that are needed.”
The data will be used for annual planning and to find which areas in the city need the most resources.
This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV.
Indianapolis, IN
Crown Hill Cemetery event explores 150 years of obituaries in Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — David Reick, president of Crown Hill Cemetery and the Crown Hill Foundation, joined News 8 on Daybreak to discuss an event that’s taking place Thursday at Crown Hill Cemetery.
The event “Do Not Omit the Obit” focuses on the history of obituaries in Indianapolis as part of a speaker series. A discussion will be lead on the significance of obituaries as cultural artifacts, reflecting societal norms and changes more than 150 years.
The event will take place in the Gothic Chapel at 6 p.m., with fewer than ten tickets remaining for attendees interested in exploring how obituaries have evolved over the years, including their impact from technology and social media.
Reick noted that attendees will see examples of 150- to 200-year-old obituaries, which were once purely informational, now reflecting deeper societal changes. The discussion will dive into how memorialization has shifted from printed newspapers to lasting online tributes, particularly through platforms like Facebook, where obituaries are treated as living memorials.
Future topics in the speaker series include the role of ceremonial funeral teams, featuring discussions on funerals for notable figures such as former Vice President Dick Cheney and former President Jimmy Carter. Additionally, Reick mentioned upcoming talks on Civil War POW camps in Indianapolis and the conservation of Indiana’s landscape, emphasizing the diverse cultural and historical influences of the area. This is the second of five talks in the series.
Attendees interested in the event can still purchase tickets, which are selling for $10.
Remaining speaker series events are planned throughout the coming months, each exploring unique aspects of cultural history and memorialization.
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