Fishers continues to be a growing community, with population moving in the direction of 90,000 residents. That means Fishers is the 5th or 6th largest city in the state of Indiana, depending on which estimate you believe.
As the population expands, local commercial growth is also on the rise. With the upswing in population and commercial activity, look for a number of announcements from the city during the fall season.
Everyone traveling around Fishers, especially those commuting to work places in Indianapolis, should be aware of the traffic gridlock found during the morning and evening rush hours. Expect to see an infrastructure announcement soon aimed at easing that regular vehicle congestion.
As our population grows, it is expected that more jobs will be coming to Fishers. Look for several news items in the coming weeks about more employment opportunities on the way. Look for Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport (near 106th Street and Allisonville Road) to be the home for some new Fishers jobs.
One development still up in the air is the proposed Sports Pavilion in the Saxony area of Fishers, near Olio Road and 136th Street. The major plans were announced by Mayor Scott Fadness in a City Hall news conference on April 13th. However, the group planning to build and operate the facility, GK Sports and Entertainment, has not been able to secure financing needed to begin construction on the project. The city administration offered a 10-year tax abatement for the developers, valued at about $200,000 a year, and a lease agreement with the city. Mayor Fadness has said the city will not change its incentive offer. The incentives are still on the table, but the Fishers City Council will not vote on the package until the financing is in place.
Another major development coming soon is the rollout of the mayor’s plan to deal with mental health issues in Fishers. Communities around the nation struggle to handle issues of mental health, no matter the size or relative wealth of the city. Mayor Scott Fadness made this one of his first priorities after taking office. He formed a mental health task force as he assumed the job of mayor, and that group is poised to announce a comprehensive plan dealing with mental health issues. Public safety, the local school corporation and a number of other experts (and regular citizens) from around the Fishers community banded together to put this plan together. The general lack of support in Indiana for people in need of mental health services has become a front and center issue in our state. The Indianapolis Star published a recent editorial detailing the lack of help for the mentally ill.
With major road infrastructure, news of new jobs, waiting for the Sports Pavilion’s quest for financing and the mental health task force plan announcement, there will be plenty of news generated from the City of Fishers in the weeks to come. LarryInFishers.com plans to keep you up to date with the latest. Stay tuned.