Shelbyville, IN (August 25, 2021) – Local REALTORS® are giving back to the tune of $11,500 to help transform unused space in Shelbyville, Ind. into vibrant, public destination for community use and enjoyment. MIBOR REALTOR® Association’s Economic and Community Development Council (MIBOR ECDC) has granted $7,000 to the project and partnered with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) to secure a $4,500 Placemaking grant.

The MIBOR ECDC is an advising body of MIBOR made up of dedicated REALTOR® members who represent the broader geography contained with the MIBOR service area. Their mission is to support organizations and initiatives that build and maintain inclusive and vibrant communities, attract, develop, and retain a skilled regional workforce and work towards the attraction and retention of quality jobs for central Indiana.

The Placemaking grant was designed by NAR to ensure local REALTOR® Associations are partnering with other neighboring organizations to plan, organize, implement, and maintain sustainable placemaking projects in their communities.

A linear park, behind the historic Porter Center in Shelbyville, will be constructed to encourage trail users to utilize the west section of the Shelby County trail system. The area will be transformed into both a rest area for trail users and a storybook trail for children.

“The Porter Park project was chosen as one of Blue River Community Foundation’s implementation projects through Lilly Endowment Inc, said Jennifer Jones, executive director of the Blue River Community Foundation. “After a great deal of community input, we learned that our community members desire more public arts projects and areas to gather with other community members. Not only do projects such as this serve and satisfy our current community members, but they will also entice new residents to call Shelby County home.  We are grateful that MIBOR recognized the benefits of a project such as this in our community and that they have invested their dollars in making this project be the best it can be. We are so very excited to see how it all comes together!”

MIBOR joins the Blue River Community Foundation on this project, alongside additional community and corporate partners including Duke Energy Foundation, Lilly Endowment, Caesars Foundation, City of Shelbyville and Shelby County Tourism. MIBOR’s contribution will specifically facilitate the creation of the storybook trail that will provide a unique local history lesson to children.

“REALTORS^® live, work and volunteer in their communities and take immense pride in our work to make local neighborhoods stronger and better places to live, work and raise a family,” said Randy Scheidt, chairperson of the MIBOR Economic and Community Development Council. “This grant gives us a tangible, immediate opportunity to identify and address an area in Shelbyville that needs enhancement and revitalization and can be used for the greater good. Placemaking can help foster healthier, more social and economically viable communities, and creates places where people feel a strong stake in their neighborhoods and are committed to making things better.”

NAR offers Placemaking Grants to state and local REALTOR^® Associations around the country to create new public spaces and destinations in a community, such as turning a parking spot into a people spot (parklet) or a vacant lot into a pocket park or garden.

For more information on the Porter Park project visit https://www.blueriverfoundation.com. To learn more about the MIBOR ECDC, visit http://www.mibor.com/ecdc. To find out more about National Association of REALTORS^® placemaking program visit, https://realtorparty.realtor/community-outreach/housing-opportunity