By Dorri Partain

At the northeast corner of the Indian Mound neighborhood where Gladstone Boulevard meets Belmont Avenue, one will find the geographical and historical Indian mound that overlooks the neighborhood. The neighborhood also boasts three elementary schools, Northeast Middle School and Northeast High School, along with the expansive Budd Park and the east entrance to Cliff Drive.

The Indian Mound Neighborhood Association has been active in overseeing improvements to both parks by applying for Public Improvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) funds that repair the stone walls by the Indian Mound and new sidewalks and shelter houses in Budd Park. Prior to COVID 19, the association sponsored Night Out Against Crime events and October pumpkin patch events where each child that attends gets a free pumpkin.

Neighborhood Association officers Patricia Hernandez, Beth Beavers and Brynne Musser use Facebook messages to communicate with their neighbors and keep them connected outside the monthly meetings on the third Monday of each month.

Indian Mound resident Christopher Lowrance and KC Park Ambassadors gather volunteers every Sunday morning at 9 a.m. to collect trash around the Indian Mound park area and also report large items that are dumped to the City for bulky collection.

Beginning in May, dumpsters will be available for those who want to collect trash and clean up their blocks. The dumpsters will be placed in the Northeast News parking lot and available on the first Saturday of every month from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. through September. No tires, yard waste, or appliances will be allowed, and once the dumpsters are filled, they will be removed until the following month. New Indian Mound resident Jessie Mathews coordinated the funds for the dumpsters and their placement in an effort to make the neighborhood a cleaner place and bring neighbors together as a collective force.

“Trash is a huge problem in Indian Mound and I think it’s the first thing that needs to be addressed,” Mathews said.

On April 19, the first of several weekly foot patrols will meet on Saturdays at 9 a.m. to target specific areas. Trash bags, gloves, snacks, and drinks will be provided for volunteers. To volunteer, contact Mathews at missjessiem@gmail.com.

The Indian Mound neighborhood is bounded on the north by Gladstone Boulevard, the east at Belmont Avenue, south at Independence Avenue, and west at Jackson Avenue. Meetings are held the third Monday of each month beginning at 6:30 pm via Zoom. Visit www.indianmoundneighborhood.org for more information or to sign up for the monthly newsletter and Zoom meeting link.