INDIANAPOLIS — More than 50 people participated in Pathways Over Pogue’s (POP’s) June 10 virtual celebration and kickoff to repair the historic Nowland Avenue Bridge in Spades Park and help finish the long-awaited Pogue’s Run Trail.
The kickoff premiered a fun video about the campaign, as well as a PowerPoint about what’s needed to repair the bridge. Guests were challenged to a quiz about Pogue’s Run, and Deputy Mayor Jeff Bennett, City Councilman Zach Adamson and CumMins executive Alex Miser spoke on POP’s behalf.
POP’s 2018 crowdfunding campaign raised $40,000, which was matched by $30,000 from CICF, which was doubled by a contribution from Cummins for a total of $140,000. An additional $8,000 has been raised so far in the 2020 campaign through donations and raffles.
The design cost $80,000, and was completed in May of this year. The project is ready to bid, once the $524,000 needed for the repair itself is raised. The surplus between the $140,000 raised and the $80,000 spent for design gives POP a $60,000 head start on paying for the repair.
Donated prizes for the March 24 cancelled silent auction are now available to the first person who emails info@popindy.org and commits to donating a minimum of 2/3 value of item. POP prizes and prices can be viewed at: https://popindy.org/pop-prizes/. Prizes include a two-night stay at French Lick and a $300 backpacking package from REI that includes a tent, sleeping bag and pad.
Winner will be notified by email, and prize will be theirs as soon as payment received.
Donors can pay directly on POP website at: https://popindy.org/donations/ or by check made out to: Friends of Brookside and Spades Park, c/o Laurie Klinger, 2326 Nowland Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46201.
There is an urgency to raising the funds because, the longer the delay between design and repair, the more expensive the project becomes and the more POP’s hard-earned $80,000 will be chipped away.