Gaylord – A project to enable young people to showcase their creativity and create a more engaging recreational area is now complete with a new mural installed at the Gaylord Skate Park.
Students learned how to be part of the RISE: Otsego Substance Free Coalition community solution through its street art workshop series and Gaylord Ramp Park’s ramp park improvement project. The park shares a lot with the Otsego County Sportsplex at 1250 Gornick Ave., attracting young adults to recreational activities on skateboards, BMX bikes and inline skates.
Participating youth, ranging in age from 12 to 20, completed a 10-lessons workshop on the fundamentals of contemporary street art. Their education culminated in the installation of a custom mural at Ramp Park on June 21.
“The project aims to improve the space reserved for local youth,” Ellen Templeton said in a statement. She is the Community Health Coordinator for the Northwest Michigan Department of Health, where she manages the program’s grant funding and behind-the-scenes organization.
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“We hope that through this project, the park will become a positive place for families and creatives to come and enjoy time here,” Templeton added.
On June 21, the outdoor park reopened with a fresh perspective as young people and a handful of hired artists created murals. The overall theme of “Rebirth” pulls the artwork together. It represents the rebirth of Ramp Park after it was relocated to the site, and now features a colorful array of art.
Before the mural project also involved the purchase and installation of four security cameras, the ramp park was labelled inappropriately with graffiti. It has been identified by a community assessment as a place where youth are at risk for alcohol and drug use – making it the perfect focus for RISE.
“We want people to feel safe and even jump on a skateboard to learn a new skill,” Templeton said.
The Gaylord Regional Arts Council and the City of Gaylord are key partners on the project. The Arts Committee participated in grant writing and development for 10 workshops. According to Lisa Marie Tobin, Executive Director of the Arts Council, Gaylord Regional Arts Council faculty and members work directly with students who find themselves diving into murals and taking longer than required or expected. many.
“Art is an important way to help people – young and old – cope with stress and share their voices. In addition to teaching teens the basics of drawing, shading, the history of street art and the difference between street art and graffiti. We want to inspire them to take advantage of art to positively change their communities,” Tobin added.
“(It’s) incredible,” said Christopher Gibson, one of the artists working with the young people.
“It’s great to see the enthusiasm of young people, and it’s great to see the support of the Gaylord Regional Arts Council and RISE for this project,” he said.
The park is equipped with various ramps and obstacles to challenge beginners and those with ramp experience.
The Gaylord Ramp Park Mural Project is a partnership that brings together arts education and community park improvement. It is funded through the Prevention Network through coalition support and community change programs.
“This project has exceeded our expectations in every way,” Templeton said, noting that young people’s roles are relevant to other generations in the community and show them how they are valued. “These kids are our future. This investment goes well beyond ramp park landscaping. It’s amazing what people can do when they come together.”
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Tobin said she plans to take community art to the next level by involving young people in her next public art project. The Arts Council recently won $15,000 through the Consumer Energy Foundation’s “Put Your Town on the Map” competition. The money will be used to add public art to a three-block alley that runs from the Gaylord Gateway Trailhead to Claude Shannon Park on Main Street.
