“It’s really about creating vibrancy in these neighborhoods,” she said.
There are murals in the corners of Hamilton, and their most visible on Main Street, which Hayden said has been more for economic development and revitalization. The murals in the neighborhoods, like Riverside and Lindenwald, it’s more about community pride and developing a renewed sense of place.
“This is just more of trying to find places in our community that are highly visible for our residents, and have them get excited about the investment in their community and we’re going things to make the neighborhoods better places to live,” said Hayden.
The murals, which are provided and paid for by the non-profit StreetSpark, help transform public spaces through murals, whether they’re on the sides of buildings or on a utility box. Living Water Ministry at 510 S. 8th St. in the Jefferson neighborhood be the next canvas for the program’s 21st large-scale mural, an 1,800-square-foot work of art that would add beauty to the area while showcasing the mission of the ministry to make a positive impact on the lives of at-risk youth and families in Hamilton’s inner city.
“We love this opportunity to create public art that helps showcase a local non-profit that is working daily to create connection and opportunity for its nearby community,” said StreetSpark program manager Jennifer Acus-Smith. “Bringing beauty and inspiration to a space can go a long way to boost neighborhood pride.”
StreetSpark is seeking applications from artists by Jan. 5. A committee will review qualifications and must be within 35 miles of Hamilton, and proposals are due by Feb. 12. StreetSpark will announce the winning design in early March.
Jefferson will see a lot of changes beyond the mural, which is the neighborhood’s second. Artists painted the mural Garden Parade on the fence at Jefferson Park, at the corner of East and Hensley avenues.
In the coming year, the city will repave several neighborhood streets as part of Hamilton’s annual paving program, and Hayden said they’ll look for ways to pave more. They are also partnering with Neighborhood Housing Services of Hamilton to construct three new affordable homes for families in the community, which is a step in addressing Hamilton’s shortage of affordable housing.
“The goal is to make the neighborhood better, a safe and clean and enjoyable place for the people who live there already,” said Hayden. “It’s about trying to figure out how what are the things that matter to people and how do we invest in them.”
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