Downtown mural project looking for votes in statewide grant program
CHEBOYGAN — A proposed 20-foot mural for the new Majestic Riverview Park on Main Street is one of 22 projects from Michigan communities competing for Bridge Builders Microgrants.
The Art Vision Cheboygan group is pursuing a $500 microgrant through the program, which Owen Goslin, executive director of the Cheboygan Area Arts Council, said would be used as a down payment for the artist Russ LaLonde.
“We have a volunteer group called Art Vision Cheboygan, which is supporting the project and helping to pick the design that was created by Russ LaLonde,” Goslin said. “In general, I think there is a lot of interest in it because Russ is a well-known artist in Cheboygan.”
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Lalonde’s concept for the mural depicts trade beads, a flower, the lighthouse at Gordon Turner Park and other scenes and items unique to Cheboygan. Lalonde also proposed writing "Welcome to Cheboygan" in both English and Anishinaabe.
When the mural is completed, Goslin said it would be the first work of public art by an indigenous artist in Cheboygan.
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Connie Rieger, project leader, said the total estimated cost for the mural is around $2,000, although there are still grant dollars and donations to account for.
Art Vision Cheboygan officials said they hope to have the mural installed sometime next spring.
According to the Michigan Municipal League Foundation, the Bridge Builders Neighborhood program provides microgrants for community projects. Voting for Bridge Builders semifinalist projects is open Aug. 22-Sept. 4. Voting is allowed once per day, per person by anyone in Michigan. The statewide juries will consider vote totals along with other factors when they select this year’s grantees.
The projects are in the following communities: Bridgman, Cassopolis, Cheboygan, Chelsea, Coopersville, Dearborn Heights, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Hancock, Harper Woods, Hastings, Iron Mountain, Lennon, Monroe, Mt. Pleasant, New Haven, Ortonville, Rochester Hills, Romeo, Romulus and Traverse City.
The land for Majestic Riverview Park was donated to the city in June 2021, with the request that the property be turned into a park. The park is named after the donor Tom Chastain’s mother's family.
The mural would be the first major installment at Cheboygan’s newest park.
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Cheboygan mural project looking for votes in statewide grant program
