Fishers Magazine January 2023

DINE OUT!

The Great Dine Out in Hamilton County January 2–31, 2023

It’s great to dine out—enjoy the company of others, participate in local culture, and support local restaurants all while earning special deals on food. Simply check in at participating Hamilton County restaurants with the Great Dine Out digital passport. If you check in five times, you’ll get a $25 local restaurant gift card—while supplies last.

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Writer / Noah Alatza Photographer / Brian Brosmer

Fishers Fire Chief Steve Orusa has participated in several polar plunges in Chicago and is championing the inaugural Polar Plunge at Geist in February.

An inaugural Polar Bear Plunge is in the works, which will benefit two local organizations.

The event is being planned and hosted in conjunction with both the Fishers Youth Mentoring Initiative (YMI) and Fishers Youth Assistance Program (YAP). It is scheduled for February 11 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the newly developed Geist Waterfront Park.

The YAP originally came to the community in 2014. The organization targets children aged 3 through 17 via referrals from schools. They then identify caregivers for each unique situation and work to bring a vast amount of resources to each family.

Trisha Straus, an early intervention advocate with the YAP, says this event will help to continue developing initiatives, and also continue the hard work the organization puts into the community every day.

“This is the start of something that the community can be involved with for years to come,” Straus says. “This is a collaborative effort between two organizations serving Fishers for the past 10 years, and we decided to do something together to show the community who we are.”

Straus says Dee Chandler, an early intervention advocate, has also been instrumental in helping to organize the event.

“We would like to walk alongside these families for months and not just resolve their situation in a couple days or weeks,” Straus says. “Sometimes it’s as simple as providing resources, and other times I’ve got families I work with through graduation.”

The event is the brainchild of Fishers Fire Chief Steve Orusa, according to Brittany Rayburn, YMI executive director.

“YMI and YAP work together so often in community but we have never done a joint fundraiser, and I think this also provides a great opportunity to raise awareness for both of our organizations,” Rayburn says. “For both of us to participate in one event is truly incredible, and what better place than at the new Geist Waterfront Park.”

Rayburn says coffee, hot chocolate and doughnuts will be on hand, and they are also bringing in a DJ. She says the event is something new for the Fishers community, and organization members are hopeful they can make it a yearly tradition.

“We really want this to be a fun time to celebrate YMI and YAP, and all for a good cause,” she says.

YMI operates through Hamilton Southeastern Schools, and provides students in grades five through 12 with volunteer mentors that meet one-on-one with their mentee once per week during the school year.

“This event is really paramount to both of our missions,” Rayburn says. “To rally around youth-serving organizations and any fundraiser is awesome, and raises the profile, which helps a lot of families out there who don’t know we exist. It helps to spread the word and let people know what we do, and we can use this as an opportunity to continue raising that awareness.”

Ticket prices will vary between adults and students, and will include an event T-shirt. All proceeds will benefit both the YAP and YMI, and the organizations will split the funds 50-50.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available by emailing brittany@ ymionline.org. To register for the event visit runsignup.com/Race/IN/Fishers/ FishersPolarBearPlunge.

Dee Chandler (left) with the Fishers Youth Assistance Program and Brittany Rayburn (right), Executive Director of YMI, meet up with the Polar Plunge mascot at Geist Waterfront Park.

THE FUTURE OF FISHERS

NEW PROJECTS TO RESHAPE, AMPLIFY COMMUNITY

Writer / Noah Alatza Photography Provided

The future of Fishers looks bright on many fronts, as multiple developments and exciting projects are poised to shape the city’s landscape for the years and decades to come. Fishers continues to be an attractive destination for multi-million dollar investments in several industries, including hospitality, while continuing to incorporate a vibrant arts scene. Thanks to the strong leadership in Fishers, these developments continue to move forward in an expeditious way.

“I believe 2022 set the foundation for the next 10 years of Fishers,” says Mayor Scott Fadness. “The projects that we improved and the ideas that we have pursued are setting that foundation.”

Many of those projects fit into the city’s larger plan for the Nickel Plate District that is laid out in the 2040 plan with a goal to create a sustainable, pedestrian-friendly, downtown where residents and visitors are encouraged to come live, work, and play. Listed below are the upcoming projects with expected completion dates.

NICKEL PLATE TRAIL - UPGRADES

COMING 2023 & 2024

The Nickel Plate Trail runs through the heart of Fishers and serves as an anchor for many businesses and the city’s downtown landscape. The city is planning to complete the trail portion to Indianapolis and Noblesville in the next two years. Fishers has

already completed most of its portion of the trail, from 106th to 146th streets. Now, thanks in part to a $4.5M Next Level Trails funding grant received from the state - the city will be able to complete the remaining 1.3-mile portion down to its border with Indianapolis at 96th Street, where it also plans to build a pedestrian bridge at the trail’s crossing. The trail and pedestrian bridge are both still in design, and construction will both start and finish in 2023, and on the bridge, in 2024.

THE REV DEVELOPMENT - 2024

Plans to build a five-story, mixed-use building in the heart of downtown Fishers at 8603 E. 116th Street was announced in August by Alboher Development Company, Inc. and Birkla Investment Group, LLC. The project is located at the intersection of Municipal Drive and 116th Street near the newly opened downtown hub for the Fishers Nickel Plate Trail district. It will include 36 for-sale condominiums, a parking garage, and 23,000 square feet of commercial and office space. The luxury condos ranging from $600,000 to $1,000,000, will be the first of their kind as Fishers’ first for-sale condominiums.

“The vision of the building is unbelievable,” Fadness adds.

HOTEL NICKEL PLATE - EARLY 2024

City leaders say construction of the Hotel Nickel Plate is just another way that Fishers is working to grow and develop downtown and the Nickel Plate District. In March, Browning Investments and

Andretti Motorsports Headquarters

Dora Hotel Company unveiled the design renderings for the new Hotel Nickel Plate, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel that broke ground in September. The project will bring a 5-story, 116-room high-end, boutique hotel to the heart of downtown Fishers. The Hotel Nickel Plate will also feature a full-service restaurant and bar on the first floor and Nickel Plate Trail access.

NEW CITY HALL ARTS & MUNICIPAL COMPLEX - 2024

Construction on the Fishers Arts and Municipal Complex is well underway at 116th Street and Municipal Drive. It will include a three-story building complex that gives Fishers a new City Hall and will provide local artists with a permanent home for their work - all under one roof. The first floor of the building will feature the Fishers Arts Center operated in partnership with the Indianapolis Arts Center and Fishers Arts Center theater. It will feature a theatre space that can seat up to 330 people and rooms for exhibits, workshops, classes and other meetings. Council meetings will also be conducted in the theatre. The second and third floor will be for city offices.

“This Arts Center on the first floor is going to be unique,” Fadness says. “We want our people to engage with City Hall. I hope when I walk in there are lots of residents engaging with their local government.”

ANDRETTI MOTORSPORTS

HEADQUARTERS - 2025

The future home of the Andretti universal motorsports headquarters will be built in Fishers. Andretti Global, the parent company of Andretti Autosport, announced in August that the team intends to build a 575,000-square-foot facility that will occupy approximately 90 acres alongside the Nickel Plate Trail, the Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve and near the Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport. The $200M facility is planned to serve as the headquarters of Andretti’s global commercial functions and the base of operations for the team’s current INDYCAR SERIES, Indy Lights and IMSA programs and other future racing initiatives. It will serve as a location for the day-to-day operations for the racing team, the building will also be home to the advanced research and development of Andretti Technologies. The new global headquarters will add up to 500 jobs to the local community by early 2026.

WHITE RIVER PARK DEVELOPMENT - TBD

The White River Park project is a $98M mixed-use development at the northwest corner of 96th Street and Allisonville Road. An apartment complex is planned to be built on the site and will feature seven buildings and a center greenspace next to the White River. The development is being spearheaded by CRG Residential and will include 38 multi-family units, 66 townhomes for sale and approximately 35,000 square feet of new commercial space. The

Fishers Arts and Municipal Complex

Fishers Arts and Municipal Complex

The Fishers Event Center

The Fishers Event Center will be home to the Indy Fuel hockey team.

city’s new improved interactive nature park along the White River will stretch from 96th Street north to 106th Street at Heritage Park. The area calls for plans for a possible canoe launch, quarry ponds, adventure course, pavilion, bike and ropes course, treehouse, river overlook and hammock grove. The Fishers Parks and Recreation Department is developing 98 acres along the river into the park. Infrastructure upgrades are also being planned including the reconstruction of the Michigan Left intersection into a roundabout. CRG Residential has also committed to donate the land required for the roundabout and an additional 25 acres of non-floodplain land to increase the size of adjacent parkland, totaling 123 acres for the White River passive nature park.

COMMUNITY CENTER - TBD

The City of Fishers has discussed the need for a community and recreation center for several years. While previous attempts at a facility with private investors have ultimately failed, the need for a community and recreational space - and the corresponding amenities - have continued to grow.

Mayor Scott Fadness addressed the needs during his State of the City address in November. He says he wants the community to interact in a meaningful way by having a centralized place to come together. In the coming months he will bring a proposal before the Fishers City Council which will provide more details on the proposed development.

“It is long overdue,” Fadness says. “We will present this to the council and residents soon. We have almost 105,000 people. If you want to take your kids somewhere, we don’t really have that. We think we can bring that amenity to our community.”

GEIST WATERFRONT PARK - FIRST PHASE TO OPEN THIS SPRING

The City of Fishers has invested in a 70-acre waterfront property, acquired in 2018, at Geist Reservoir to develop a waterfront park. The park is being developed at the last-remaining undeveloped parcel of the 1,900-acre reservoir, located at 10811 Olio Road, at approximately 111th Street and the east side of Olio Road. The new Geist Waterfront Park will include features like a beach, walking trails, open green space, and a non-motorized boat launch. The City of Fishers purchased the land in 2018 to ensure public access to Geist Reservoir. Once developed, the park will provide the only public access to the reservoir. Geist Waterfront Park will be built in phases, with an anticipated full completion date of 2040. The first phase, which features construction of the beach and beach and dock access, along with a playground and gathering amenities, is set to officially open this spring.

“I feel like the design team did this justice,” Fadness adds. “Anyone who lives on Geist should be proud of this park. With the beach, playground, walking paths, it is an awesome addition to that area.”

Community Center

The Commons in Fishers District, Final Phase from the South.

The Union in Fishers District, Final Phase from the Northwest.

Geist Waterfont Park

FISHERS DISTRICT

EXPANSION - 2024

The Yard at Fishers District has been one of our city’s hottest culinary and entertainment destinations since 2019. Now, more restaurants, new businesses, and additional world-class entertainment will be moving forward in the community. In partnership with Thompson Thrift, the City of Fishers is expanding the Fishers District with three new neighborhoods: Slate, The Union, and The Commons. Each new neighborhood will bring a variety of unique and exciting opportunities for Fishers families.

Also included in the plans is The Fishers Event Center , which will be the largest mid-size event center in the region, capable of seating up to 8,500 people. Indy Fuel owner Jim Hallett announced that the Indy Fuel would call the event center its home beginning with the 2024-2025 season. Fans and patrons alike will experience entertainment in a new way with family suites, enhanced areas for hosting, and modern fan experiences. From basketball games to concert tours, this state-of-the-art event center will bring a world of entertainment right to the Fishers community. The center will also be a communityfocused venue, where local athletes can compete and children can walk across the graduation stage in their hometown.

All throughout 2023, the City of Fishers will also continue to celebrate its Sesquicentennial. As he looks ahead, Mayor Fadness is expectant for an even brighter future for the city.

“We are really setting the stage for the next 50 years,” Fadness says. “Instead of just celebrating the past, we are heading toward the future and focused on moving forward. Fishers is going to become even more dynamic than it is today.”

SPREADING THEIR WINGS

CITYBIRD TENDERS EXPANDS TO INDIANA

Writer / Noah Alatza Photography Provided

A fast-growing regional eatery specializing in chicken tenders has opened its first Indiana location. CityBird Tenders officially started operating in late August at a location off of 116th Street near Cumberland Road, adjacent to Torchy’s Tacos.

The franchise started in the Cincinnati area, and has since grown to six locations in three states.

“Fishers is an amazing community and we ultimately made the final decision because of the location,” says Melanie Bowling, brand ambassador for CityBird Tenders. “We had a couple of other concepts established in northwest Indiana and the Indy metro, so we are familiar with the area.”

CityBird’s menu features their signature chicken tenders and sandwiches, salads, and other staple side dishes like french fries and coleslaw.

“The food sells itself,” Bowling says. “What separates us from the competition is that everything is thoroughly thought out and made from scratch. It is tested and tasted again before we serve it to our customers.”

She says everything is made in-house, from the chicken tenders and CityBird spices to other seasonings, sauces and dressings.

“These are chef-inspired recipes,” she says. “While we try not to change the menu too much, we do make subtle changes and seasonal offerings just to keep it fresh. We work with the freshest ingredients and are constantly preparing our foods with the finest ingredients.”

Bowling says CityBird Tenders stands out from other local restaurants featuring chicken tenders simply because of the quality.

“When you visit, our tenders may be smaller than our competition’s other, bigger chicken tenders,” she says. “The difference you will find is the breading-to-tender ratio. You can’t beat it. They are breaded in-house, fresh every day. Throughout the day we have

someone solely focused on breading them and frying them up. You can taste the chicken tender in every bite you take. It has a nice, juicy consistency you can’t find anywhere else.”

Despite only being open for a few months, CityBird Tenders has generated plenty of positive community buzz according to Bowling.

“The reviews so far have been nothing short of positive,” she says. “There’s always room for opportunity for every concept, and I will say we are geared more toward a grab-and-go approach.”

CityBird Tenders also delivers through third-party services including DoorDash, GrubHub and Uber Eats. Online orders are also accepted on the CityBird mobile application, available in the Apple App Store or on Google Play.

Bowling says the eatery’s leaders also want to play a proactive role in community involvement. “We participate in fundraising for schools or other nonprofits looking for donations,” she says. “That’s something we want to be involved in.”

Expansion is also likely in the coming months. Bowling says the CityBird Team is looking at opening multiple locations in central Indiana as early as 2023.

For information on fundraising opportunities, email melanie@ keystone-foods.com.

CityBird Tenders is located at 11595 Whistle Drive, Suite 130 in Fishers. Call 317-288-2256 or visit citybirdtenders.com to learn more.

Two local high school students were recently awarded Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Ray Aviation Scholarship awards, which contribute to the training expenses for students’ private pilot licenses and further their young careers in aviation.

Hunter Hollowell and Sierra Combs, both seniors at Fishers High School (FHS), grew up in the same neighborhood in Fishers and have a common interest and passion for aviation. Both completed their first solo flights at age 16, and are currently in

the final phases of obtaining their private pilot licenses this fall. Both students plan to further their aviation education in college, and pursue careers as commercial pilots.

Hollowell has always had a passion for automobiles ever since he was a toddler, mastering a riding lawn mower at age 8 and successfully competing in an adult kart racing league at age 10. He now participates in the Fishers Car Club and various local car shows. At age 12 he completed his first discovery flight and found his love for the air. In 2019 he found the local EAA Chapter 67 in Noblesville, and has received instrumental teaching, mentoring,

coaching and guidance from its members, which led to the scholarship and licensing opportunity. This summer Hollowell attended EAA Advanced Air Academy in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. During his current senior year at FHS, Hollowell is also serving as a career intern at Tom Wood Aviation in Fishers.

Combs completed the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals Solo Flight Academy in July of 2021 at age 16.

Both students are currently finalizing their plans for college, and completing college visits to narrow down their school choices. For these two young pilots-to-be, the sky is the limit.

The local EAA Chapter 67 in Noblesville hosts Young Eagles events each summer to introduce youth to the air, and holds multiple events to educate and promote aviation. For more information, visit eaa67.org.

Story & Photography Provided

Hunter Hollowell

Sierra Combs

CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF FISHERS

FISHERS’ FOUNDERS

As we celebrate Fishers’ Sesquicentennial this year, we look back on the people and families who were involved in the founding of our city. It is important to remember that the history recounted in this article is only about the colonial settlers. Native American tribes and nations had lived and held influence in these areas for thousands of years before the first white colonists arrived and forced them from their land. To learn more about the Miami American Indiana Tribe that inhabited this area, check out this podcast at soundcloud.com/podcasts-bylarry-lannan/diane-hunter-miami-americanindian-tribe.

FIRST FAMILIES

George Shirts and his family were the first recorded white family to settle in Hamilton County. Specifically, they created permanent residences in what would become Fishers on the future William Conner farm. Shirts brought his family to Hamilton County from Connersville, Indiana, in 1818. Shortly after settling, Shirts moved his family to Noblesville, and the land was purchased by William Conner.

One of the other first families to settle in the county was the Headys (you might have read about the modern ghost stories

surrounding Heady Hollow in our Fishers Frights series). James Heady is said to have been born sometime between 1775 to 1779 in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. James arrived in Hamilton County from Massachusetts around 1823 with his wife Dorothy and their 11 children. James passed away soon after in 1827, leaving Dorothy to raise the children and run their new land. Dorothy took the initiative, purchasing 80 acres and encouraging her children to do the same. Within years, the Heady family owned hundreds of acres across the new Delaware Township.

FIRST TOWNSHIP SCHOOL

Born in 1789 in Randolph County, North Carolina, Joseph Eller cemented his family as founders of the area. Joseph arrived in Hamilton County in the late 1820s. Along with Abraham Williams, Joseph began the first school in the township. The school was run in a cabin on Mr. William’s property and only taught their children until two years later when the residents built an official schoolhouse. Joseph and his wife, Rachael Casey Eller, had eight children to whom they passed along their property. Joseph died in 1855, but at the time of Fishers Station’s founding, there were at least three Ellers listed in the business directory. The influence of the family can still be seen around Fishers in the naming of Eller Road.

FISHERS’ NAMESAKE

As for the man for whom the city is eventually named, little is known about his early life. Salathiel Fisher was born in 1811, likely in North Carolina. He married Mary P. Northam Fisher, born 1812, and the two had five children, Henry Fisher (1835-1898), Emily Catherine Fisher Manship (1840-1912), Thomas A. Fisher (1842-1925), John H. Fisher (1844-1863), and Adella A. Fisher Mock (1850-1924). All of their children were born in North Carolina, meaning the family must have moved to Hamilton County sometime after 1850. In 1866, the first detailed map of the county was created. In it, one can see that 12 acres surrounding the railroad had been bought by Salathiel Fisher. In June 1872, Fisher divided these 12 acres into town lots and got the area platted as Fishers Switch. Unfortunately, Fisher died only a year later, in November of 1873.

EARLY ENTREPRENEURS

Two prominent entrepreneurs of Fishers Switch were George Hamilton and W. H. Mock. The two men opened a grist and saw mill in 1873, east of the railroad. Soon after its opening, Mock retired, and Hamilton transitioned the mill into a flour mill. Another early businessman was Wiley Dickson, the owner of a grocery and dry goods store in the town. The store was

Story & Photos Provided by ThisIsFishers.com

passed to Goodwin Flannagan, then Jacob Demoret, and eventually to Salathiel’s son, Henry.

In 1874, the first official church was opened in Fishers Station. Reverend D. D. Powell organized the first class of the Methodist Episcopal church. The meetings started out small, with only 14 members utilizing the schoolhouse. The church grew with Reverend Powell remaining in charge for three years.

The City of Fishers continues celebrating its Sesquicentennial, marking 150 years of incorporation, through June 2023! Visit ThisIsFishers.com/Fishers150 for blog posts, podcasts, historical information, and details on Sesquicentennial programming.

ON THE HORIZON

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

In 2020, COVID-19 sent many of us home, and offices and strip malls emptied. It was a dark time, economically, as restaurants, retail stores and other businesses struggled to find their way out of the hole. Thankfully, however, the landscape has improved and looks to continue doing so. Keith Stark, founder and CEO of ConsortiumCRE, has been working in the real estate business for 35 years and maintains that locally, occupancy levels are at an all-time high.

“I’m actually surprised at how quickly the recovery has returned,” Stark says. “Not only are we not experiencing vacancy levels coming out of COVID, but also there is a shortage of space.”

He notes that the biggest problem we’re facing right now is inflation and potentially stagflation, which is persistent high inflation combined with high unemployment and stagnant economic demand.

Even prior to COVID-19, people lived, worked and shopped differently than they did in generations past. Regional malls were built in the 1960s to concentrate retail for convenience, but now convenience for many

is getting items and meals delivered to their doorstep.

“[At the height of the pandemic,] we saw a huge spike in online purchases and online food orders, but there has been a mass of movement back to physical retail shopping as well as restaurants,” Stark says.

The office sector, just like retail, is changing dramatically. Ever since COVID-19, a large segment of the population has grown accustomed to working from home. People found that they liked saving both time and money. Plus, they could wear comfy sweatpants 24/7. All of this translates to a good chunk of the population not being eager to return to the office. Hence, the office industry is seeing some high vacancies.

Thankfully, the job market looks good in the Hoosier state because people are moving here from all over the U.S.

“We have migration into the nine-county area, which is huge,” Stark says. “That’s the best kind of injection of hope you can have. As a result, Indiana is probably in the best shape it has ever been in as a state.”

According to Stark, a surge of new retail is

coming to Indy in 2023 and beyond.

“It’s unprecedented in my 35-year career,” Stark says. “In just Hamilton County, there’s BJ’s Wholesale Club coming onto the market, and a fifth Costco coming in 2024 or 2025. Plus, we’re seeing a record number of new restaurants coming in.”

The bottom line is that Stark predicts that 2023 is going to be an amazing year.

“It’s a bright future for Indiana,” he says.

Keith Stark is the founder and CEO of ConsortiumCRE

WARRIOR MENTALITY

If you’re familiar with NBC’s hit television show “American Ninja Warrior,” you might have an idea of the type of training and exercise it takes to compete in the show’s extreme challenges.

Contestants Michael Silenzi and Jesse Labreck have appeared on the show for nine and seven seasons respectively. They love what they do and are determined to expose others to the passion and positivity that comes with the process.

“I started on the show 10 years ago and that was before there were gyms where you could practice this kind of stuff,” Silenzi says. “I immediately thought it was amazing and I wanted to see this become a new sport. I instantly had the idea that we needed a gym so people could try it out.”

Jeff Piejak had a similar idea and partnered with Silenzi to open the first Ultimate Ninjas gym in Chicago. As they continued to grow, Labreck came on board, and today the three own and manage five gym locations, including their newest at the Hamilton County Sports Complex in

The Noblesville gym looks like what Silenzi calls a “jungle gym on steroids with lots of safety pads,” and it’s attracting all ages to the unique combination of exercise, challenge and fun.

“We have adult fitness classes in the morning, a Little Ninja program for ages 3 to 5, and classes after school for ages 6 to 18,” Silenzi says. “I think initially I wanted to open a gym for selfish reasons. I wanted to train for the show. What I didn’t realize at the time is how many kids would watch the show and become obsessed. The kids want to be ninja warriors and we’re training the next generation for competition.”

Labreck loves watching the students grow and challenge themselves.

“It’s honestly pretty incredible,” Labreck says. “The confidence these kids are building, particularly the ones that might not connect with traditional sports - they really feel empowered. There’s always another goal or obstacle to achieve.”

Silenzi loves the training aspect.

Writer / Melissa Gibson Photographer / Linda Oldiges

Noblesville.

“It’s such a challenge to overcome something you didn’t know you could do,” he says. “There’s a lot of adrenaline, and we’re using our body the way it’s meant to be used by running, jumping, swinging and other physical outlets. It’s like a great workout without it feeling like work.”

In addition, the unique workout complements other sports kids are involved in, from baseball to football, and many students continue participating on the ninja team through high school.

“There’s nothing like it in the area,” Silenzi says. “We watch the kids have fun, get stronger and learn new techniques every single day.”

For those interested in taking their ninja skills to the next level, ninjas as young as 6 to 8 can join a league and compete across the country.

“If you aren’t old enough to get picked for the show, there are several leagues out there to compete against,” Labreck says. “We’ll host our own World League competition in Noblesville this January, giving people the option to compete right now.”

Labreck will appear in an upcoming Valentine’s Day episode of “American Ninja Warrior.” Catch Labreck and Silenzi on previous seasons of the show.

Ultimate Ninjas is located at 9625 East 150th Street in Noblesville. For more information, call 317-473-7480 or visit ultimateninjas.com.

Lannan

LarryInFishers

LOCAL NEWS IN FISHERS INDIANA

THE LATEST NEWS IN FISHERS END OF

Writer / Larry Lannan Photography Provided

I moved to Fishers in 1991, a town with a population of about 10,000 people. More than 30 years later, Fishers is a city of roughly 100,000 people. That has provided me with a front-row seat to the massive growth of our local community.

I am excited to be writing for the Towne Post Network and Fishers Magazine all about what is happening in this busy place we call Fishers.

Four new Hamilton Southeastern School Board members will take office in January of 2023. The board has a number of decisions to make, including how to deal with the tax funding referendum that expires at the end of 2023. The board will also be facing a redistricting process in the near future.

Of course, that means we are coming into another election cycle. The City of Fishers will elect a number of officials in 2023, including mayor, all nine city council seats, the city clerk and city judge. The primary election is in May and general election balloting happens in November.

Groundbreaking ceremonies have been

THE YEAR WRAP

popular in recent weeks. Fishers broke ground on the new Arts Center and City Hall complex on a cold, windy day in late November. The Andretti Family broke ground for their new headquarters near Hague Road, between 96th and 106th Streets, in early December.

The Arts/City Hall project is projected for completion in the spring of 2024. The Andretti complex is likely to be complete in 2025.

The Andretti headquarters will include not only the shop for the many racing series where the Andretti team competes, but there will also be a museum and restaurant. The Andretti building is likely to be a regional destination and very busy in the month of May.

One thing you will see sometime in 2023 is a grading system for local restaurants. The Fishers Health Department already inspects local eateries, but will convert that score to a letter grade and you will see the grade displayed as you eat out while the program rolls out during 2023.

Sarah Sandquist has left her post as Director of the Fishers Parks and Recreation Department. She has accepted a similar

position in Champaign, Illinois in order to be closer to family.

Speaking of parks, Geist Waterfront Park had an event to show the community the completed facility on November 20th. Despite a cold and windy day, more than 500 local residents walked around the new park. A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony has been tentatively planned for March of 2023.

Hamilton Southeastern Schools will offer a course in sports officiating for juniors and seniors. There is a well-documented shortage of sports officials in all levels of competition.

When Fishers officials asked for bids for the project on 141st Street and State Road 37 in 2022, the cost numbers were too high. This has forced the city to transform the intersection into a right-in right-out configuration in what the city describes as an “interim” situation. Fishers plans to ask for bids again in the spring of 2023, hopefully with numbers that will allow the project to continue.

The plan is to construct a roundabout on 141st Street at State Road 37, with an underpass allowing traffic to move freely on State Road 37.

Larry