Across Lake County, public spaces are shifting from conceptual master plans into concrete realities.
On Wednesday afternoon, Legacy Foundation hosted its official "Love Where You Live" press conference, awarding $4 million in capital investment grants to seven transformational public space projects spanning six municipalities across Northwest Indiana.
Funded through the support of the Lilly Endowment, the initiative represents the single largest competitive grant distribution in Legacy Foundation’s history. Out of 55 applicants, 11 finalists were invited to present their visions before the foundation’s review committee. The final seven selected recipients encompass a diverse spectrum of civic infrastructure—from an urban outdoor campus in Gary and an all-season refrigerated ice rink in Griffith, to lakefront restorations, downtown plazas, and historic recreational court overhauls.
"Love Where You Live is both a name and a challenge: What can each of us do to make this place more people are proud to call home?" said Kelly Anoe, President and CEO of Legacy Foundation, addressing the room of civic leaders, park directors, and community partners. "The investment starts with construction, but its value will show up in everyday moments. A child finding a favorite place to play, neighbors meeting for the first time, teenagers having somewhere to go."
The Seven Funded Initiatives
The $4 million commitment delivers capital funding directly into community anchors across Lake County:
- Tolleston Opportunity Campus Legacy Park & Art Walk (Gary) — $1,000,000: Administered by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana in partnership with the City of Gary, this grant expands Gary's broader $50 million Tolleston campus. The outdoor project converts a blighted former water park into an expansive green space featuring walking trails, community gardens, and an Art Walk with sculptures—including branded local heart sculptures starting with Legacy Foundation.
- Kennedy Commons (Highland) — $886,300: Transforming a blighted, long-vacant gas station adjacent to the Erie Lackawanna Trail, this flexible green space will feature outdoor classrooms, an acoustic music performance area, native planting gardens, solar picnic tables, food truck hookups, and a community pantry.
- Optimist Lake Project (Hammond / South Shore) — $654,200: Spearheaded by the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority alongside the City of Hammond and the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission, the grant activates underutilized lakefront space behind the Indiana Welcome Center off I-80/94 into an accessible outdoor recreation and regional event destination.
- Festival Park Playground Improvement Project (Hobart) — $500,000: Serving as the cornerstone of a larger downtown revitalization on Lake George, this award will fund an all-inclusive, fully ADA-compliant playground, expanding accessibility alongside planned splash pads and amphitheater seating.
- Griffith Courts Year-Round Multi-Sport Recreation (Griffith) — $500,000: Griffith’s historic downtown basketball courts on Broad Street—famed for their connection to NBA Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich—will be resurfaced for summer play and equipped with a portable subterranean chiller grid, enabling a refrigerated ice-skating rink throughout winter even in temperatures exceeding 50 degrees.
- Historic Town Square (Lowell) — $300,000: Rebuilding Lowell’s downtown square into an ADA-accessible gathering hub along parade routes, featuring a quiet viewing zone, pergolas, and a dedicated memorial brick plaza honoring local active-duty military and veterans in partnership with the Blue Star Mothers and Hometown Heroes.
- Twin Oaks Park Basketball Court Revitalization (New Chicago) — $168,500: Restoring the town's sole public basketball court originally constructed in 1976. The project introduces full-court accessibility with graded ADA-compliant pathways, flood mitigation, modern resurfacing, high-durability fencing, and adjustable backboards for youth and adult play alike.
More Than Bricks and Mortar
Throughout the afternoon, speakers reinforced that public space investments function as catalysts for broader civic momentum and regional identity.
"Philanthropic investments like this continue to build on the momentum already happening," said Ellis Dumas, Chief of Staff for City of Gary Mayor Eddie Melton, during post-conference interviews. "People flock to these spaces. Foot traffic means more businesses, more restaurants, and local jobs. It acts as an anchor that helps feather out growth across the entire city."
Hobart Mayor Josh Huddlstun emphasized that investing in physical accessibility is foundational to economic vitality and civic health. "Lake County as a whole has done a really good job attracting industry, but what makes a community a community is the people," Huddlstun remarked. "Spaces like this create the environment that makes people want to not only work here, but live here."
Sean Eagan, Chair of Legacy Foundation’s Board of Directors and a member of the selection committee, highlighted the rigorous vetting behind the awards, noting the focus was not simply on shovel-readiness, but long-term sustainability.
"A successful project has to work long after the ribbon-cutting," said Eagan. "The passion we heard in the presentations mattered, and so did having a practical plan to turn that passion into a lasting community asset."
Grassroots Planning: Community Voices
Legacy Foundation closed the event by announcing that applications are officially open for Community Voices, an expanded initiative uniting Community Heart & Soul and the foundation’s Neighborhood Spotlight framework.
The program offers Lake County municipalities and civic groups access to implementation grants of up to $90,000, paired with hands-on coaching and resident-led visioning. Letters of Intent (LOI) for Community Voices are open through November 24, 2026.
Reflecting on what this dual approach of large-scale capital grants and grassroots resident engagement means for Lake County's future, Anoe looked ahead to the next decade:
"Five or ten years from now, I hope to visit these spaces and see kids playing, neighbors talking, and people engaging without having their phones out," Anoe said. "We planted the seeds today to ensure our communities have spaces where everyone feels they belong."
For background on how Legacy Foundation manages community investments across Northwest Indiana, watch the Legacy Foundation Proposal Process overview.
