Bloomington Parks & Recreation Speaker at Next Meeting

Bloomington Parks and Recreation staffer Dave Williams will speak at our next meeting. He will discuss the status of improvements along the B-Line, as well as the status of planning for the upcoming McDoel Switchyard Park. Please come and share your questions and ideas with Dave. Please join your neighbors at our next meeting: Thursday, May 2nd,6:30 PM McDoel Baptist Church, 1008 S. Rogers St. west entrance.

New McDoel Gardens Informational signs on B-line trail

The Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department has installed two new informational signs along the B-Line, depicting the history of the McDoel Gardens neighborhood. The northern sign, entitled "Limestone and Elephants," is at W. Dodds, along the trail. The southern sign is located under the pedestrian bridge at W. Grimes and is entitled "Walking to Work." Walk on over and take a look!

Neighborhood Plant Exchange Sunday, May 5.

A neighborhood plant exchange will be hosted at 608 and 611 W. Dodds (corner of Dodds and Fairview), on Sunday, May 5th, from 1 – 3 PM.

Too many day lilies?  Tall grasses need dividing?  Black-eyed Susans taking over?  Bring your extra plants, seeds, seedlings, starts and other living things to the neighborhood plant exchange.  One gardener’s weed is another gardener’s salad!  Perennials, annuals, shrubs, berry brambles, all are welcome!  Exchange plants and gardening stories and get to know your neighbors.  New to gardening, and don’t have anything to share?  Stop by anyway, everyone is welcome.  See you there!

Adding Stop Signs at Dodds and Fairview Topic at Next Meeting April

Over the years, the subject of getting stop signs put in at Dodds and Fairview has come up from time to time. With enough support from neighbors, this might be the year we actually make it happen. Please come to our meeting on Thursday, April 4 and express your support for the addition of stop signs at that intersection.

Day On Volunteer Session at Community Kitchen

Hello, Neighbors!

You are invited to join your McDoel Gardens neighbors for a Day On volunteer session at the Community Kitchen (1515 S Rogers St.), this upcoming Monday, January 21st. MLK day plans are to work from 10:30am to 12:30pm (having lunch of veggie chili & cornbread & salad from 12-12:30). We will be putting together Health Kits for Kids for our Backpack Buddies Program, doing some portioning and other tasks.


Sign Up for a Volunteer Slot on MLK Day! Due to the limitations of the projects needs, only have space for 10 adult & 10 kids to volunteer. These spots are open to any of our McDoel neighbors. As of today, all of the spots are open. 

Please contact Tim Clougher via email (assistantdirector@monroecommunitykitchen.com) or by calling the Kitchen at 332-0999 to sign-up for a spot. All spots are currently open.

See you all there!

McDoel Gardens Fall Block Party

Come and enjoy an evening with your neighbors at our annual Fall Block Party this Saturday! It's a pitch-in, so feel free to bring a dish if you want to share something (but it's not required).

When: Saturday, October 13th, 5 - 9 PM

Where: Madison Street, just south of Dodds.

See You There!!

B-Line Station Breaks Ground

      Ground has been broken on the development project at the corner of Morton and Dodds. Developer and McDoel Resident Matt Press has received permission from the City of Bloomington to name the project B-Line Station. Site work will continue until late fall, with the first buildings beginning construction in Late September. The first home should break ground in late September and be completed by March of 2013. The commercial area at the north end of the project should be completed by June of 2013. The townhome building (now called Garden Green Townhomes) should break ground in early 2013 and be completed by that fall.

Please join your neighbors for our upcoming neighborhood meeting.

McDoel Gardens neighborhood resident and Bloomington City Plan Commission member Jack Baker will be the speaker at our next meeting. He will update residents on city projects and programs affecting our neighborhood.

Thursday, August 2nd, at 6:30 PM

McDoel Baptist Church, 1008 S. Rogers St., rear entrance

Christian Zabriskie

Lifetime McDoel Gardens resident and good friend of many, Christian Zabriskie, passed away suddenly  Saturday June 30. There will be a service for Christian on Saturday, July 7, 2012 from 2-6 p.m at Deremiah Frye Mortuary Greene & Harrell Chapel at 700 West Gourley Pike, Bloomington. 

He will truly be missed by all his neighbors and everyone who knew him. 

Neighborhood clean up this Saturday, June 23

Its that time again folks. You are invited to join your neighbors on a cleanup walk around our neighborhood this Saturday, June 23rd, from 10am to noon. Trash bags and gloves will be provided. Meet up at the basement entrance of the McDoel Baptist Church (1008 S. Rogers) at 10 AM. Let's clean this place up! See you there.

B-Line Station is a go!!

GOOD NEWS!! On June 20 the Bloomington City Council approved Neighborhood Solutions' proposal for the new B-Line Station which will be located on Morton Street between Dodds Street and Allen Street. According to the website the development will encompass 12 single family home sites, two 1000-1100 sq. ft. condos, three 510-525 sq. ft. micro-condos and four 2 bedroom apartments above 3100 sq. ft of commercial spaces, which may include a restaurant. McDoel Gardens resident Matt Press is a part of Neighborhood Solutions and was responsible for the hugely popular South Dunn Street addition in the Bryan Park neighborhood. For more detailed information about the project please visit the Neighborhood Solutions website here.  

Susie Johnson to speak at next association meeting

City of Bloomington Public Works Director Susie Johnson will speak at the next neighborhood association meeting. She will discuss current projects dealing with and affecting McDoel Gardens as well as answering questions from neighbors. This is a great opportunity for residents to bring concerns to the city's attention. Come join the discussion on June 7 at 6:30pm at the McDoel Baptist Church, 1008 S. Rogers Street. Please use lower west entrance.

City Recognizes McDoel Gardens At Awards Ceremony

The City of Bloomington is holding it's annual Blooming Neighborhood Awards and Celebration even on Saturday, June 2 at the Showers Plaza Farmer's Market from 9am til noon. McDoel Gardens neighborhood will receive an award for efforts over the past year to make McDoel Gardens an even better place to live and work. Congratulations to all the residents of our neighborhood and our neighborhood association.

Pedestrian/Bike stoplight on hold....for now

        The HAWK light that was planned for the intersection of Walnut and Allen which was to be a part of the Allen Street Bicycle Boulevard, has been put on hold for now. Susie Johnson who is the director of Bloomington Public Works explained that the current bike/pedestrian refuge island that has been recently installed is only a first step.
       Depending on continued analysis and feedback additional features, like the HAWK system, may or may not be added to the intersection. According to Johnson, the incremental process was recommended by Alta Planning & Design.

       The decision was to gauge the success of the island and make changes as needed, as well as to ensure the dollars are invested effectively in the implementation of Bloomington's Greenway Implementation Plan. This strategy was supported by Public Works, Economic & Sustainable Development, and Planning. 

Switchyard Park Property Design Workshop at Convention Center

Switchyard Park Property Design Workshop May 14 2012 5:00 PM - May 14 2012 6:30 PM

Location: Bloomington Convention Center

Public input for the Switchyard Park Property master plan during an open mic session on Monday, May 14 from 5 - 6:30 p.m. at the Bloomington Convention Center.

 There will be a public presentation of the conceptual designs on Thursday, May 17 from 6 - 7 p.m. at City Hall - Showers Building. The design team will use information gathered about the Switchyard Park Property site, as well as feedback from stakeholders and community members, to create a vision for the new park design. Several design concepts will be presented for feedback on May 17.

 For more information about the Switchyard Park Property master planning process, visit the Switchyard Park Property Web Site http://www.reasite.com/live-sites/switchyard-park/project-information/ [photo courtesy of Herald Times Online]

Morton & Dodds project

Today the Herald Times reported: Development at 223 W. Dodds Street, along the B-Line Trail that includes single-family homes, condominiums, apartments and commercial space received a favorable recommendation Monday, May 7, from the Bloomington Plan Commission. The proposal calls for single-family homes to be built on 12 narrow lots, a five-unit condominium building and two mixed-use commercial buildings with a total of four second-floor apartments. The homes and the larger of the two commercial buildings will face the B-Line Trail and have sidewalk connections to it. McDoel Gardens resident and developer Matt Press said he hopes to attract a restaurant to the larger commercial building, which will resemble a circa 1900 clapboard-sided train depot. The smaller commercial structure will be built to look like a circa 1900 carriage house. The plans now to go the Bloomington City Council for its consideration. For more details on the project please follow this link to the May 7 Bloomington Plan Commission Agenda.

McDoel Switchyard Park Open House This Thursday, April 26.

The Bloomington Parks and Rec Department is looking for feedback and ideas from neighbors on the future McDoel Switchyard Park, as part of their master plan process. They will be hosting an open house this Thursday, in the City Council chambers at City Hall, in the Showers Building (401 N. Morton St.). Mid-day session: noon - 1:30 PM, Thursday, April 26th Evening session: 5:30 PM - 7 PM, Thursday, April 26th Future Opportunities to Contribute Ideas and Opinions:Wednesday, May 2nd, 10 AM - 2 PM, Senior Expo, Twin Lakes Rec Center May 12, May 19, June 2 or June 16, at the Bloomington Community Farmers' Market Monday, May 14th, 5 PM - 6:30 PM, at the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention Center The entire Switchyard Park planning process can be followed online, at www.switchyardpark.org.

Neighborhood Plant Exchange, Sunday, April 29th!

Too many day lilies? Tall grasses need dividing? Black- eyed Susans taking over? Bring your extra plants, seeds, seedlings, starts and other living things to the neighborhood plant exchange. One gardener's weed is another gardener's salad. Perennials, annuals, shrubs, berry brambles,all are welcome. Exchange plants and gardening stories and get to know your neighbors. New to gardening, and don't have anything to share? Stop by anyway. Everyone is welcome. See you there! Sunday April 29, 1-4 pm, 611 West Dodds (@fairview)

Memorial Service for Laura Shively

Laura Shively, a much loved and valued McDoel resident, passed away on March 10th. A memorial for Laura will be held on Saturday, March 24th, at 3 PM, in her private gardens at her home.

A memorial fund has been set up to help her children with estate expenses and to help with her younger son's education expenses. Donations can be made to: the Laura Shively Benevolent Fund or the Joseph Shively Education Fund, both at Key Bank, (418 S. College Mall Road, Bloomington, IN 47401).

We'll miss you, Laura.

(Photo of Laura by Michael Redman)

Morton and Dodds Project Neighborhood workshop to be held Saturday March 3rd

Property developer and McDoel Gardens resident Matt Press will be hosting a workshop with neighbors on Saturday, March 3rd , from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM, in the McDoel Baptist Church Basement. He will be seeking input from neighbors on plans to develop the property at Morton and Dodds, along the B-Line. Matt will have with him a civil engineer, an architect and a home-builder, to help with the discussions. There will be site plan drawings, conceptual drawings, and reference images for neighbors to look at and give feedback on. Light refreshments will be provided. For more information, contact Matt Press at mattpress@comcast.net.