Center Grove, Indiana facts for kids

Center Grove is a special place in White River Township, Johnson County, Indiana, that isn't officially a city or town. It's called an unincorporated community. This means it's a settled area, but it doesn't have its own local government like a mayor or city council. Instead, it's managed by the county or township. Center Grove got its name from the local school district, the Center Grove Community School Corporation.

A Look Back: Center Grove's Growth

Back in 2000, White River Township, where Center Grove is located, had about 35,539 people. Most of them lived in areas that felt more like a city (urban), while a smaller part was more like the countryside (rural).

Over the years, the area grew. In 2008, the average household income was estimated to be around $79,660, and the average value of a house or condo was about $199,602. This shows that Center Grove was a growing and prosperous community.

What's Next? Joining a City or Becoming Its Own Town?

For a while, there have been discussions about what Center Grove's future should be. Should it join a nearby city, or should it become its own town? This has led to some interesting talks and debates among the people living there and in neighboring areas.

In 2008, the nearby city of Greenwood, Indiana started talking about merging with Center Grove. This would mean Center Grove would become part of Greenwood. However, another nearby town, Bargersville, Indiana, had some concerns. Bargersville also wanted to expand its borders northward, which sometimes conflicted with Greenwood's plans.

These discussions about merging or expanding have been going on for a while and haven't been put to a public vote yet.

The Greenwood Plan: A Big City Idea

Greenwood, Indiana, was interested in merging with Center Grove partly because it wanted to become a "second-class city" in Indiana. This status means a city is larger and has more responsibilities and powers. By adding Center Grove, Greenwood would gain more residents and a larger tax base, which could help with the city's finances.

Even though there was some disagreement from people in Greenwood, the city managed to become a second-class city without the merger with White River Township happening. The idea of merging with Center Grove might still be considered for a public vote in the future, but it needs approval from the Johnson County Election Board first.

The Bargersville Approach: Growing North

Bargersville, Indiana, has been a strong voice against Greenwood's plans to expand into White River Township. While both Greenwood and Bargersville have extended services like water and sewer lines into Center Grove, Bargersville has also tried to add land and property owners along its northern border through a process called annexation. Annexation is when a city or town officially takes over land that was previously outside its borders.

There have been some legal questions about whether Bargersville, as a town, has the same authority as a city to annex land. This issue has even gone through different courts and is now waiting for a final decision from the Indiana Supreme Court.

Center Grove's Own Future: Becoming a Town?

With all the discussions about Greenwood wanting to merge and Bargersville wanting to annex, some people in White River Township started asking a different question: What if Center Grove became its own town? They wondered if this would be better for taxpayers and for providing public services.

To explore this idea, a group of citizens formed a non-profit organization called 'Citizens for Center Grove'. They officially registered their group with the State of Indiana in late 2010. This group wants to study if it would be a good idea for Center Grove to become an official town in Indiana.