Updates on Canoe/Kayak Launches, White River Branding, and More Shared at Convening
BBF grantees and friends from Muncie, Delaware County, and nearby communities convened on a brisk winter afternoon earlier this month to share updates and future plans related to the White River, the Mississinewa River, and surrounding watersheds. Ball Brothers Foundation convened partners as part of the foundation’s Project Blueways effort.
Project Blueways builds on the foundation’s decades-long interest in local waterways. Since 2020, Ball Brothers Foundation has awarded over $600,000 for projects that are:
Increasing access to – and appreciation of – local waterways
Improving soil & water quality and reducing pollution
Supporting collaborative watershed planning efforts
Promoting East Central Indiana as a regional/state destination for water recreation in:
Canoeing & Kayaking
Fishing
Wildlife Viewing
Agritourism
Following a networking lunch, partners heard updates on key project initiatives including:
Canoe & Kayak Launches
David Heilman of FlatLand Resources shared the status of canoe and kayak launches which are being constructed in partnership with the Muncie Sanitary District and the City of Muncie. Launches include:
“Barlow Landing” at Luick Avenue – Completed in summer 2024
Kitselman Trailhead – Completed
McCulloch Park – Currently underway with completion scheduled in summer 2025
Memorial Drive – Scheduled for completion late 2025, pending funding
The long-term vision is for launches to allow for canoeing, kayaking, and tubing through the heart of the city. Additional launches closer to Prairie Creek Reservoir and on the west side of Muncie are in the early planning stages.
White River Branding Campaign
Delaware County Soil & Water Conservation District Vice President, Joe Hamilton, shared updates on efforts to promote and highlight the White River. Along with Destination: Muncie, Ball Brothers Foundation has been proud to provide funding for this effort which includes logo design curation, website creation, street banners, billboards, social media campaigns, logo wear, and branded merchandise. The new White River logo can soon be seen on street banners lining the river and downtown, in addition to seasonal billboards throughout Muncie. Efforts to add signage on the river, including mile markers, are also being considered. The White River branding campaign reinforces the effort of Project Blueways to create pride in our community by promoting Muncie as a destination for water recreation and conservation. Logo merchandise will be available this spring at several local retail locations.
Dam Removal
Over the past decade, four of the five low-head dams along the White River through Muncie have been removed or significantly modified. Ball Brothers Foundation—alongside other local, state, and federal funders—has supported efforts over the years to study the impact of dam modifications locally and to provide models and visuals showing the impact of removals. The Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District shared information regarding the benefits to removal, including improving fish passage and citizen safety. An update on a community-wide dam removal survey was shared with results indicating respondents were in favor of removal/modification.
Prairie Creek Reservoir
Speaking on behalf of Prairie Creek Reservoir was Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour. The mayor shared an overview of the many amenities that the reservoir includes in its 1300 acres: campsites, free beach access with upgraded bath houses, water recreation, fishing, the Muncie Sailing Club, and miles of trail for walking/hiking, cycling, mountain biking, equestrian riding, and ATVs, in addition to the new Cook Family Education Center. The reservoir is a community gem, helping to bolster the initiative of Project Blueways to promote East Central Indiana as a regional/state destination for water recreation, canoe/kayaking, fishing, trails, and wildlife viewing.
Mayor Ridenour noted that a large state grant has been received to begin the next phase of build-out of the multi-use trail on the Reservoir’s southeast side. Pending additional local funding, the 1.2-mile trail extension would extend past the Muncie Sailing Club and north towards the beach and bathhouse.
Concluding formal presentations, those attending were invited to share about the mission and initiatives of their own organizations. Organizations represented included: Ball State University Recreation Services, East Central Indiana Regional Partnership, Muncie Sanitary District, Friends of the White River, The Red-tail Land Conservancy, Community Foundation of Randolph County, The White River Alliance, Community Enhancement Projects, and The Nature Conservancy.
Improving and appreciating our local waterways is a collective effort. Ball Brothers Foundation is proud to convene partners and support projects that enhance the health of our waterways and promote Muncie/Delaware County as a great place to live, study, work, and recreate.