Mayor Honors Doug Day with Community Service Award

On April 18, Mayor Joe Hogsett recognized Doug Day, the Champion of Destination Fall Creek (DFC), for outstanding volunteer service to the community. “Our city’s success would not have been possible without the community members who donate their time and expertise to helping others,” Hogsett said. “It is an honor to recognize these incredible individuals through the Mayor’s Community Service Awards.”

The Mayor’s Community Service Awards were established in 1992 by then-Mayor Stephen Goldsmith to honor residents who volunteer their time and talents toward the betterment of the city.
For 14 years, Day has been an active volunteer in the Fall Creek area. As president of the Historic Meridian Park Neighborhood Association, he helped IMPD bring down a drug gang only three blocks from his house and shut down a pit bull fighting ring. He served as head of Finance on the Mapleton Fall Creek Community Development Corporation Board for 6 years. He currently serves on the Near North Development Corporation Board.

Day is best known for his work with Destination Fall Creek, a community-driven initiative to transform the Fall Creek corridor into a recreational, residential and commercial destination with access to art nature and beauty for every citizen, every day. Abundant evidence of his input is visible: historic bridges are being rehabbed along Fall Creek; the Fall Creek Greenway has been extended to 11 miles and soon will be 20 miles from the White River to Geist Dam; the intersection of Delaware Avenue and Fall Creek Parkway was transformed from the “Spider” to Delaware Gateway with crosswalks, a park and Silver Fall, a beautiful piece of public art. All told, Day has helped spur more than $90,000,000 in investments along Fall Creek, the most since 1926. “I am just a neighbor. I have no official power, but people who DO have power are drawn to someone with a positive vision. I pitched DFC everywhere and was blessed with many people who contributed great ideas. A good mission statement, a plan, and perseverance took us to success. I try to encourage everyone that they, too, can effect change in their community.”

As part of the award tradition, Day’s name will be engraved on a brick and added to the Mayor’s Volunteer Plaza located in the 11th Street Admiral Spruance Basin on the Indianapolis Canal Walk.