INDIANAPOLIS — Citizens Energy completed all required blasting and tunneling in Ellenberger Park in August of 2023, and is moving into the next phase of the “Big Dig.”
The next phase consists of connecting the existing Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) to the tunnels and shafts which will include the creation of sewers, with one built in Ellenberger Park behind the tennis courts where there is an existing CSO. In order to build the sewer, several trees have been removed from the area.
Citizens has informed neighbors on Pleasant Run, Michigan, and Ritter, informing them of this phase of the project. The tree removal has already begun and must be completed before April 1 in compliance with the Indiana Bat Law which protects the nesting habitat of bats.
Citizens Energy will plant replacement trees at the end of the project. In addition, they will replace or build the bathroom near the playground as well.
Citizens is also working at the northwest and southwest corners of the park to replace lead pipes in anticipation of the scheduled DPW work to convert Michigan from a one-way to a two-way street. They are committed to replacing 55,000 to 75,000 residential lead pipes in Marion County at no cost to homeowners over the next decade. Citizens wants to replace the lead pipes before the DPW work to avoid having streets torn up twice.
The Big Dig Project will be completed by Dec. 31, 2025.