INDIANAPOLIS (MIRROR INDY) — The Indianapolis Motor Speedway brings thousands of people from around the world to the west side, but some community leaders fear the city gets all the prestige. The Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center, a nonprofit organization that offers training and other support to city communities, used that as one example at a meeting of the Westside Community Association Jan. 14 to drive home the point that local neighborhoods should take pride in their amenities, including attractions like the track but also local businesses, parks and churches. And beyond pride, nonprofit leaders said, sometimes understanding what your neighborhood has to offer can help you figure out how to improve it and apply for grants and other aid. “The future of Indianapolis is in its neighborhoods, especially the ones that some people have forgotten about,” said the Rev. Gary Lynch, pastor of Drexel Gardens Christian Church, who attended the meeting on behalf of his congregation. “It’s about people understanding where they come from, how important a place is to them and understanding the value you bring to surrounding areas.” Finding assets in your neighborhood Terry Brooks-Allen, the training manager at the resource center, said the strategy centers around realizing what kind of power neighborhoods already have. He said developing your neighborhood around assets is a practical strategy, similar to knowing what you have in your pantry and fridge before you head to the grocery store. “If you don’t know the true value of your neighborhood and what assets are available to you, you’re going to have a hard time making it better,” Brooks-Allen said. “If you have a negative feeling about your neighborhood, you can’t see the gold that’s there. If you’re looking for diamonds there, you’re going to find diamonds.” Compiling a list of assets can help community groups apply for grants by building a case to receive help to create supportive amenities. It can also help justify opposition to unwanted developments. Westsiders at the meeting worked together to identify assets in the western portion of the township, the neighborhoods of Chapel Hill/Ben Davis, Drexel Gardens and Sunningdale and the towns of Speedway and Clermont. Casey Scott, lead pastor at Chapel Rock Christian Church, said that although he tries to give out a lot of information about resources and happenings around the township, many people just don’t know how much is happening in the city, even just outside the church doors. “There’s just so much happening in a small space that it’s hard for everyone to keep track,” he said. Scott’s church, for instance, is working with the B&O Trail Association to build a trailhead, which will include a plaza for parking and a connection to the trail from the church parking lot, right along the southern edge of the property. Once completed, the trail will be open to bike travel between Marion and Hendricks counties, a big win for cyclists. Once the residents at the meeting spoke to one another, they connected the pieces of information each had from their own neighborhoods, and a clearer picture of nearby assets began to emerge. “This sounds like a little ad, but everything is about people first,” Clermont resident Fenrick James said. “We have engaging schools, like Ben Davis, civic organizations like the Lions Club, Girl Scouts, churches, community centers, the (Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park) nearby, libraries and a lot more,” James said. Brooks-Allen said community members have to be the ones to decide what counts as an asset, as they are the people who know whether something is beneficial or harmful to a community. “You can’t let someone (from outside your neighborhood) tell you how much your neighborhood is worth. You have to tell them,” Brooks-Allen said. For more information Learn more about the Westside Community Association at its Facebook page. Learn more about the Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center at its website, call 317-920-0330 or email [email protected]. Mirror Indy reporter Enrique Saenz covers west Indianapolis. Contact him at 317-983-4203 or [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky at @enriquesaenz.bsky.social or on X @heyEnriqueSaenz.