April 25, 2024

Permanent quilt block street mural planned with community support

By REGINA SMITH

Update Uptown 2.0 event held in April 2018 featured a temporary "quilt block" street mural at the intersection of North Maple and West Adams streets. Due to the reaction of the community, funds are being raised to paint a more permanent version of the mural.

Last year’s pop-up street mural in Uptown Creston designed by David Marroquin of R.E. Lewis, was a success according to Mindy Stalker of the Union County Development Association (UCDA).

“It was very well received with a ton of positive comments,” Stalker said.

A permanent design

The street mural was originally planned to be a part of “Update Uptown” – a project that featured many local agencies and volunteers. However, it snowed during the Update Uptown event, and, although many of the inside events were able to go on as planned, the painting of the mural had to be postponed, but it was eventually completed at the intersection of West Adams and North Maple streets.

Stalker said the committee intended the project to be temporary to spark a conversation about art and to see if the community would be interested in a more permanent installation. Due to the popularity of the mural, they are now in the process of fundraising to place a long-lasting mural using the same design at the intersection of Maple and Adams streets.

The fundraising efforts for the permanent mural consist of a grant application by Brian Zachary and the sale of sponsorships of squares or triangles within the mural. Sponsoring a piece of the mural is $500 regardless of the size of the space.

So far, 15 of the spaces have been sponsored – raising $7,500 of the estimated $36,000 needed. Sponsor names will be printed on a banner; the display location of the banner has yet to be determined.

A date for the mural installation will be set once the fundraising is complete.

A time-lapse video of the mural project will be shown at a May 7 event at Southwestern Community College with speaker George Couros, which will highlight business and education partnerships.

Stalker said the Update Uptown event could not have been held without the assistance of many agencies and volunteers: Creston Community High School Communication and Service Technology class, CCHS industrial technology class, Becca Ross, KSIB radio, the City of Creston, Wally Miller, Jeremy Rounds, Brad Riphagen, Create Creston, Creston Automotive, House of Pain, The Wishing Well, Hazel Marie’s and The Reclaimed Wardrobe.

Individuals interested in the event or helping sponsor the mural are encouraged to contact the UCDA at 641-782-2003.