Fort Wayne – Accelerate Indiana Municipalities (Aim) announced Elkhart has earned an Aim Program Innovation Award for Tolson Center for Community Excellence. The city was honored with this award on Wednesday, October 10th during the Annual Awards Luncheon – presented by Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors, LLC during the 2024 Aim Ideas Summit in Fort Wayne. Elkhart won in the greater than 50,000 population category.
The Tolson Community Center for Excellence in Elkhart serves as a dynamic space that fosters cultural engagement, social inclusion, and offers a wide array of programs for residents of all ages. The center, located in South Central Elkhart, aims to be a cornerstone for future economic investment, providing a safe recreational hub, and connecting to neighboring communities and downtown.
In 2018, the Tolson Center faced closure, but strong public concern led to the formation of a task force that reimagined the center’s future. By 2020, the Elkhart City Council approved $5 million for capital improvements and committed $700,000 annually for ten years to support operations. The Community Foundation of Elkhart County and the Lilly Foundation also contributed significant funds.
Aim CEO Matt Greller noted, “The Tolson Community Center for Excellence is not only a bricks and mortar facility, but also a safe, comprehensive, inclusive place for all of Elkhart’s citizens. The collaboration and committed funding partners offer a unique road map for other communities to use when looking for ways to meaningfully engage their citizens.”
The Program Innovation Award honors communities that introduced and executed new ideas and methods to carry out municipal activities. Awards are presented in multiple population categories based on nominations received.
In its 48th year, the Aim Annual Awards program, presented by Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors LLC, recognizes communities and individuals in municipal government for excellence and outstanding achievement. A seven-member panel of qualified judges selected this year’s winners from a competitive field of nominees from around the state.
Conference Facts:
2024 Aim Ideas Summit
October 8-10, 2024
Grand Wayne Convention Center, Fort Wayne
Attendance: 1,000 (pending final registration count)
Further information: www.aimindiana.org
Since the 1890s, Aim, formerly the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, has been an advocate for Indiana municipalities. Aim is the official voice of municipal government in Indiana, with more than 460 cities and towns as members. Our purpose is to foster, promote and advocate for the success of Hoosier municipalities as laboratories of innovation, hubs of talent and the engines driving our state’s economy.