Editorial: Watch parties and pop-up parks: Community connection is key

We were sorry this week to see the USA lose its World Cup match to Belgium, dashing the hopes of so many Americans hopeful that the nation’s homefield advantage could propel the team to victory. But what we loved to see was the way our communities rallied together to cheer on the team.

Hundreds — maybe more than a thousand — people gathered on Monument Circle for a watch party sponsored by the Indy Eleven. Fans brought lawn chairs and sat on the monument’s north steps to have a view of the game that’s not as good as the one in their living room but among friends old and new.

Similar gatherings took place in the plaza at the Fishers Event Center, which hosted several watch parties for USA games, and Carmel’s Midtown Plaza, which has been showing a larger schedule of games. The latter has been so popular that the city has received requests — some might say demands — for which games are shown.

These events are about so much more than soccer. They’re about a hunger for connection and a desire to get out and enjoy our communities.

And we were thrilled to see so many people gather on the Circle, which should be a reminder of how vibrant downtown can be when we create events that take advantage of our assets.

Look no further than Spark on the Circle, the pop-up park that has returned this summer to the northwest quadrant of the Circle. The program has its naysayers, particularly people who don’t think any part of the Circle should be closed to traffic.

But on any given day — in the afternoons or the evenings, weekdays or weekends — you’ll find adults and kids taking advantage of the space to relax, play games and socialize.

Spark is the result of a collaboration between Downtown Indy Alliance, Big Car Collaborative, Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development and the Indiana War Memorials Commission. We would love to see these agencies, organizations and others continue to find creative ways to bring people together.

To that end, we’re excited about the improvements underway on Georgia Street and how they can tie in to the Morris Bicentennial Plaza at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, which has also been hosting community events.

The key is not the place itself. Almost any spot can become a gathering spot under the right circumstances and with the right promotion and planning. People want to connect. We know that from the events we host. In Valparaiso this week, IBJ Media’s Innovate Indiana event was bursting at the seams with people who wanted to both celebrate the opportunities and discuss the challenges in northwest Indiana.

Thank you to the many organizations, businesses and local governments across central Indiana who are hosting concerts, farmers markets, art fairs and other events that get people out of their homes and talking to one another. We encourage you to do even more. That’s the way we build community.•

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