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An Indiana street

Lesley Gordon

Indy Like a Local

Who is Lesley?

She is the Director of Public Relations and Partnerships for IndyGo and is responsible for the communications, marketing, advertising, and community outreach. 

Q: Last year IndyGo launched the Red Line rapid-transit system and has seen great success. What upcoming project(s) are you excited about?

Yes, we did! It has been quite the journey to open Indy’s first rapid-transit line, but we have learned a lot and are excited to begin work on the Purple Line. The Purple Line will be a 15.2-mile rapid-transit line that is dedicating more than half of its budget to infrastructure for the 38th Street corridor from College to Post Road. That will include new sidewalks, updated drainage, paved roads, and a new multipurpose trail. The impact it will have to transit service is going to be significant but the transformation that corridors infrastructure will see is something that would not happen without this project. 

red line

Q: What are some of your favorite stops along the Red Line route? 

We frequent The Children’s Museum. We live close to the Park and 38th Street stop, and my son enjoys catching the “green bus” and going to The Children’s Museum. We also love to grab a meal and a brew, or two, at Twenty Tap. What we have enjoyed most is sharing the experience with our families and leaving our cars at home to explore our city. We like that we can go from Broad Ripple to Fountain Square and make it a day of good eats and sites to see. 

Q: In a world of ride share apps and electric scooters, why do you believe public transportation is important for a city?

I think the key is having options. We live in a time when people want instant gratification and want to have options on how to get it. Indy is a great place to provide options and makes anyone feel at home no matter their choice. Public transportation brings so many walks of life together and provides a service that is essential to so many it’s important that we continue to invest in this service so it’s reliable and relevant to its users. 

Q: Where in Indy do you like to go for a great meal, and why? Any specific menu items you would recommend?

I would call myself somewhat of a foodie. I frequent a lot of places in my “hood” but we enjoy Half Liter. Their menu gives you just enough variety, their beers are great, and they have the best outdoor space for groups and kids. We like to bike to dinner sometimes so the fact that it is just off the Monon Trail is great! I also recently discovered Comida! They have a great catfish entrée called the Trick Daddy that is a must try!

half liter

Q: Do you have a favorite coffee shop?

Man, that’s hard! I love a good coffee spot. It changes depending on if I’m meeting people or solely getting a coffee. For a coffee, I have to say I like Provider’s Ginger Latte. When I’m meeting people for a coffee, I like to go to Plat 99. They have great coffee, and you can’t beat the atmosphere. Whether you want art or views, you get both. 

plat 99

Q: What are some of your favorite outdoor spaces to visit, and why?

Hands down Tarkington Park! With over 200 parks in Indy, we have a few we enjoy but we have grown to really cherish this park. There are so many options from the innovative playground, the splash pad, brics ice cream, and the programming during the summer. There is always a fun time to be had at Tarkington. 

Q: If you’re hosting out-of-town guests, where might you take them for an authentic Indy experience?

When I have visitors, I like to show them we have it all. I try to include as many local restaurants, breweries and distilleries as I can from Sun KingWest Fork Whiskey Co.18th Street Brewery TaproomGordon's Milkshare Bar, or Hotel Tango Distillery. If we have the opportunity to enjoy a sporting event, I try to work that into the visit. We love a good Indy Eleven match or Pacers game. If we can’t attend an event at the track, I try to at least show them the location so they can say they saw the location where the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" takes place.  We typically end with a good tenderloin at Plump’s Last Shot…you can’t say you’ve been to Indiana without having a tenderloin. 

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