We have expanded from our original Goal 1: Identify and engage at least ten (10) key regional partners involved in development, improvements and funding of transportation infrastructure to advocate for and find means to achieve our short and long term goals beginning 10/31/2015.
We are continuing to advocate and push to create communities that all residents can grow up in and old in, aka life-long neighborhoods/ age-friendly cities. NICTD is planning to extend its double track and so there has been a great amount of attention placed on Gary’s tourism opportunities. As group we are showcasing critical mass and advocating for complete streets across Northwest Indiana and the state as a whole.
Our initiative is designed to increase ridership and investment in our blue/green trails. (Particularly close to our hearts is finishing The Gary Green Link and uniting Deep River with more accessible kayak launches. We would love to help install a launch in Lake Station at Bicentennial Park and one one New Chicago along the river.) Cyclist, paddlers, ecotourists and the disabled will travel if opportunities are there for them.
Goal 2: Increase number of residents biking, rolling and walking in Miller 500% by 2025.
In 2018 we are creating an inclusive biking program with our community partner, The Blind Social Center (who caters to 600+ patrons). We plan to create a tandem cycling club that tours the region advocating for infrastructure improvements. Take Bike the Streets: Biking with the Blind is a project for people of all abilities to encourage recreational collaborations to implement tourism, wellness and economic development in Gary, Indiana and beyond.
We are also looking to expand our Ken Parr Build-a-Bike Shop hours and have partnered with Northern Lights Eco Adventures to launch an expeditionary, service-based learning camp for teens for the summer of 2018. Our hope is once some of our build-a-bike participants turn 18, they will also be able to be hired by Zagster to maintain our bikeshare cycles, thus creating a cottage industry for Garyites that could expand across the region.
Goal 3: Bike Share and Car Share programs will increase from zero users to a combined twenty (20) users per day by 2019.
We are seeking community partners to help fund the 2018-2019 season of Zagster as well as looking for parties interested in participating in a car share program.
Goal 4: Provide shuttle bus services to 500 Miller residents on weekends and for special events by summer 2016 and increase numbers by 10% each year until the beginning of 2018.
This service actually launched a year early in the summer of 2015! We have been working all summer to up the ridership and market this amazing service/ partnership with the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. We will continue to work with NPS on this project.
Goal 5: Develop a website tracking physical obstacles to accessibility in Miller and improve the 10 public sites identified as least accessible by 2020.
Access Miller has partnered with Barrier Free Beach 2020 and The City of Gary on this project. We ran 6 workshops on this subject and received a 2016 ADA Indiana Community Grant. We created a multi platformed educational series on accessibility. Access 4 All premiered as part of the Directed by Women Global Film Festival this September. A portion of the series Access 4 All: Progress in our Parks was featured in the Indiana Dunes Film Festival.
It is now available on YouTube at : Access 4 All
Please watch the series, take the survey and encourage others to do so too.
We just received a 2017 ADA Indiana Community Grant that we will collaborate on with the National Lakeshore and City of Gary.
You can access our entire Access Miller Updates here:
Goal 6: Make all Miller Spotlight web content accessible by 2019.
We have designed our content to be as universal as possible and continue to do so. Please email any notes/ recommendations to millerspotlight@gmail.com.
(Click here to find our more about Gary’s Miller Spotlight.)
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