As one of Marion’s most significant natural features, Indian Creek offers both challenges and opportunities. Creekside Pride was an initiative that surfaced through the 2018 community visioning process known as ImagiNEXT.

 

Since then, a committee of volunteers has been working to help move the initiative forward. Most recently, they secured $40,000 in funding from the Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization to fund a master planning study for the Indian, Dry and Wanatee Creek corridors.

 

ISG was hired to complete the study and the committee recently shared its findings with Marion City Council. Find a recording of the presentation, view the slides or access the full report.

 

City staff will be working with the Marion Parks & Recreation Department to evaluate which of the nine locations to design and construct first. The Council will then need to prioritize funding in next year’s budget for design and construction of the selected location. Staff will be researching potential funding options for local, regional and state grant opportunities throughout next year. It is possible that City crews may be able to preliminarily install some basic creek access points with smaller gravel parking lots to allow people some better access to the creek to recreate and enjoy off the existing trail systems.

 

Learn more about the project in this video: