An illuminating ceremony for Glick Peace Walk

Onlookers study the luminary garden honoring Orville and Wilbur Wright.

Inspiration was the order of the evening Wednesday, June 30, when a crowd of several hundred people gathered along Walnut Street just west of the American Legion Mall to watch the unveiling of the Glick Peace Walk – part of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail dedicated to people “whose creativity, perseverance and concern for others have improved life for all.”

The $2 million project was made possible by a gift from Gene and Marilyn Glick, whose initial $15 million donation kick-started the Cultural Trail project.

The Glick Peace Walk honors 14 people chosen by the Glick family, the memorials intended to inspire visitors to pursue their dreams and make the world a better place.

Each luminary garden features an informational kiosk.

The two-block section of the Cultural Trail runs between Meridian Street and Capitol Avenue in a boulevard format, with the trail running between two one-lane traffic lane. The section of Walnut Street also received new brick roadway pavers, lighting and landscaping to transform the street into a pedestrian-friendly destination along the Indianapolis Cultural Trail between the American Legion Mall and the canal.

The following individuals are honored:

– Susan B. Anthony.

– Andrew Carnegie.

– Thomas Edison.

– Albert Einstein.

– Benjamin Franklin.

– Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt.

– Jonas Salk.

– Mark Twain.

– Booker T. Washington.

– Wilbur and Orville Wright.

Glick Peace Walk is located along two blocks of Walnut Street just west of Meridian Street.

Two additional sculptures will be unveiled in 2011 at other locations along the Cultural Trail:

– Abraham Lincoln, to be located at the southwest corner of Washington Street and Capitol Avenue.

– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to be located at the southeast corner of Washington and Pennsylvania streets.

The ceremony to unveil and illuminate the Glick Peace Walk began at dusk with Brian Payne, Cultural Trail founder and president of Central Indiana Community Foundation, thanking the Glicks for their tremendous generosity, vision and leadership.

“You have chosen people who have inspired you, yet today, we are also inspired by your generosity and vision that will enlighten generations of Hoosiers and visitors from around the world,” Payne said.

Marianne Glick explained why the Glick Peace Walk has long been her parents’ dream.

“Over 20 years ago, my parents became determined to find a way to honor individuals who embodied the American spirit,” said Glick. “The Peace Walk is the fruition of that vision. These luminaries were selected because they pursued their dreams, upheld their beliefs and made a significant contribution to the quality of life for all.”

Local professional actors Priscilla Lindsay and Rob Johansen led a ceremony to honor each person as each garden was unveiled and illuminated with music from the Ronen Chamber Ensemble.

Rundell Ernstberger Associates, an award-winning urban design and landscape architecture firm in Indianapolis also known for its work on White River Gardens, Monon Rail-Trail and Indianapolis Art Center’s Artspark, designed the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and the Glick Peace Walk. Kevin Osburn, an Old Northside resident who has served as the trail’s lead designer, spoke on behalf of his teammates, Eric Ernstberger and Joe Mayes, and introduced the local artists and contractors who made the Glick Peace Walk come to life.”

“The Glick Peace Walk became a reality in large part because the Glick family and Central Indiana Community Foundation gave us the freedom to hand-select elite contractors and craftsmen based right here in Indianapolis,” said Osburn.

To conclude the ceremony, guests joined the Indianapolis Children’s Choir in singing “Let There Be Peace On Earth” by candlelight.

The design elements of the luminary gardens are intended to enable visitors to gain a deeper understanding of how these inspiring individuals were able to overcome challenges and dedicate their lives to the greater good of society. The terrazzo plazas feature an image from the story of that person’s life, such as a Benjamin Franklin flying a kite. A steel timeline with LED lights embedded in the plaza point out key moments that are furthered described in a corresponding interpretive sign nearby. A flat panel of lit glass references the “watershed moment,” when the individual achieved greatness. Each person’ portrait is intricately etched and illuminated in glass encased in a 12-foot stainless steel “sail” individually designed and textured around each person.

More information about the Glick Peace Walk is available at www.IndyCulturalTrail.org/Glick-Peace-Walk.