Painting storm drains, transformer boxes Public Art Commission to launch new projects
Ordinary public infrastructure will be getting more color in Ames. One for education, and another simply for beautification.
The Storm Drain Inlet Pilot Program is an effort to raise water quality awareness through art. The city is asking residents to submit potential designs that will help educate the community on the importance of watersheds and the environment, according to a news release.
As storm drains flow into local streams, rivers and lakes, pollutants that enter storm drains could contaminate the water. This contamination could come from certain fertilizers homeowners use on their lawns, experts say.
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Submitted designs should connect storm drains, waterways and the environment to their impact on the people, animals and plants around them, according to the release. Artists who are approved can receive up to $250 in reimbursements for art supplies.
The Public Art Commission is also seeking artists of all ages, amateur or professional, to submit designs to decorate transformer boxes with vinyl wrap. Artists with chosen designs will receive an honorarium of $100.
More information on the projects can be found at www.cityofames.org/PAC. The deadline to submit designs is Feb. 15.
Danielle Gehr is a politics and government reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached by email at dgehr@gannett.com, phone at (515) 663-6925 or on Twitter at @Dani_Gehr.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Ames to get more colorful with new Public Art Commission projects
