Major improvements to the Ivanhoe South Nature Preserve are underway this summer following a $150,000 Water and Environmental Grant to Shirley Heinze Land Trust from the American Water Charitable Foundation. The trust, Indiana American Water (INAW), Gary officials, and other guests gathered to celebrate the occasion with a ceremonial groundbreaking on Monday, May 12.
Positioned just south of the Gary International Airport and a little over a block away from the West Side Leadership Academy, the Ivanhoe South Nature Preserve is a 53-acre sanctuary that features rare dune-and-swale ecosystems. The grant, along with funding from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and Legacy Foundation, fully funds the Ivanhoe South Community Development and Education Initiative in the City of Gary. The initiative will enhance walkability, safety, and improve connectivity to the community and the West Side Leadership Academy.
