Browsing by Author "Boyle, Elliot"

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    From Public City to “Philanthropolis”: The Making of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2015-04-17) Lahey, Jeremy; Boyle, Elliot; Inabnitt, Jessica
    The Cultural Trail was brought to life by the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), a local philanthropy, with the city acting mainly as a consultant. Beginning in 1999, as a way to highlight different sections of the city, six cultural districts were established and the Indianapolis Cultural Trail emerged as a biking and pedestrian path to link these communities. The Central Indiana Community Foundation provided the primary impetus for the Cultural Trail. The route and design standards were driven by CICF with city staff members participating in the planning process primarily as invited guests, rather than as the main drivers of the project. Since the establishment of the Cultural Trail, city officials and local businesses have raised questions as to what entity is actually responsible for its upkeep. In addition to tracing the history of the Cultural Trail and looking at the issue of trail maintenance, another member of our team is analyzing the link between the multiple uses of the trail and economic growth for the city. Our primary objective in this research is to document and understand the implications of this new model of philanthropic development by using downtown Indianapolis as our study site.
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    Reimagining the River: An Outdoor Vision of the Anthropocene and the White River through the Lens of Place
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2016-04-08) Boyle, Elliot; Catt, Braden; Goss, Sarah; Harrah, Peter; Smith, Rebekah; Walker, Whitney
    In 2016, the International Union of Geological Sciences will decide whether or not human impact on the Earth constitutes a new geologic epoch – the Anthropocene. If agreed upon, this epoch will acknowledge the effects human agency has upon the stratigraphic record, and the implications of a human-driven world. Reimagining the River takes the global Anthropocene to the City of Indianapolis by creating an outdoor museum of the White River. This museum exhibit will display the past, present, and future of the White River, showcasing the historical narrative of the human-river relationship. Exploring the Anthropocene through the story of the White River will engage the citizens of Indianapolis to develop a sense of ownership for the intertwined state of the River and Indianapolis. The intention of this engagement is to build a community that reimagines what the river was, is, and can become. Reimagining the River will be located on the White River State Park Bridge, and will feature audiovisual elements that relate current scenes surrounding the River to the past. Historical photographs complemented with a brief historical narrative will be juxtaposed with the areas surrounding the installation, framing Indianapolis’ urban environment as the exhibit. The installation will be accessible to all demographics, including children and individuals with disability. The exhibit will also include resources to encourage further audience participation, including podcasts, geocaching, and a website. Ongoing research pathways will be created to encourage the tracking and measurement of audience engagement and understanding of how human agency has affected the White River, its tributaries, and the City of Indianapolis.