Project Name: Village Hall Mural
What is your first and last name?
Owen Strenski
What are your preferred pronouns?
He/him/his
What city or village do you live in?
[534]Does your neighborhood have a name? If so what is it?
[535]Are you connected with anyone in your local government?
[536]Are you applying as a business owner, artist, non-profit, DDA, or Commercial Improvement District?
[280]Where will your project take place?
Village of Byron
Briefly describe your project idea:
The Village of Byron is seeking funding to create a mural to celebrate the unveiling of a pocket park, Phase I of a two phase boardwalk to run adjacent to the Shiawassee River, a National Water Trail. The mural will feature the history of Byron and the cultural diversity of its community.
How will you be involved in this project? Who will you worth with?
We will engage the community by featuring a local artist to design and paint the mural and show it off at an event once the pocket park is completed. The Village will be hosting pop up food trucks and events this summer to actively engage the community in the revitalization efforts. They have community volunteers and local businesses organized and ready to contribute. This would tie into Phase I of this project, the construction of a pavilion and pocket park adjacent to Village Hall would be a central hub for all kinds of activities in the village. There would be designated space for community activities, such as concerts, festivals, networking, food trucks and other social business opportunities.
Describe the artist’s or artists’ work. This is not about credentials—what do they do as an artist?
Flamingo Kid Signs offers full design to completion services on custom projects. They do murals, sign painting and other large scale art projects.
Please upload a letter of support for your project from your local governing body:
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Additional Attachments (if any)
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Why does your community need this project?
The Village of Byron is working to revitalize their downtown and business district after a devastating fire destroyed part of the downtown area in 2012. As a part of its work to activate downtown, the Byron DDA seeks to develop programs and infrastructure that might attract more commerce, residents, and visitors to their community. The boardwalk and park amenities will become a central project in the Village’s rebuilding efforts post fire. Part of this effort is creating a pocket park by the river in the business district for pedestrians and tourists to enjoy. A mural overlooking this area would be an excellent way to show pride in our Village and highlight its unique history going back to when the area was originally settled. As well as show the resiliency of the community after the fire. This funding would be a critical piece to kicking off the fundraising campaign and grow the momentum of bringing community together in family friendly outdoor spaces.
What do you hope to achieve through this project?
We hope to achieve this process by aligning the artistic vision of Kevin Hooley with the DDA’S vision of a beautiful downtown mural. We hope this event will take place in mid-August. With this award, it will contribute to the growing momentum of developing this park into its full vision. The mural will be a source of pride and a demonstration that this project is viable and achievable through hard work and perseverance. Residents feel a sense of pride because they can finally make a space to come together as a community and enjoy Byron’s natural beauty like the riverfront. Phase II of the project is to construct a 2-million-dollar boardwalk along the river. This boardwalk would be a catalyst for economic development and increased interest in water recreation.
How do you plan to spend the $5,000 microgrant?
The $5,000 will be spent to pay a local artist, Kevin Hooley, to design and paint the mural that will be placed on the side of the village hall. The $5,000 will be spent to pay a local artist, Kevin Hooley, to design and paint the mural that will be placed on the side of the village hall. Kevin Hooley has designed and executed many murals in the past including some at the University of Michigan, Comerica Park, Ford Field, Detroit Riverwalk, Great Lakes Crossing Mall, and many others.
What resources do you already have to make this project successful? Resources could include things like time, partners, expertise, donated goods/materials/space, matching funds, and more. Please approximate the in-kind value if possible.
The Village would handle the funds and other assets, the DDA and Schools would organize events, and the artist would create the mural.
Will your project require special permits from the community you are in? For example, anything that requires a street closure or installing a permanent art piece will likely require a special permit from your local governing body or zoning board. If your project is funded, the MML Foundation is happy to help you navigate that process. Please note that all applicants must obtain any necessary permits for their projects, if selected for funding. *
No
Anticipated project launch date:
August 7, 2023
Will you serve as the primary point of contact for this application?
[291]Lead Artist First and Last Name:
Kevin Hooley
Lead Artist Website (If Applicable):
https://www.fksigns.com
Business 1: Business Name:
IPS Equipment
Business 1: Business Type:
Equipment
Business 1: Business Owner First and Last Name:
Rob Vandemark
Business 1: Physical Location Address
303 W Maple St, Byron, MI 48418
Business 1: Twitter Handle (If Applicable)
Business 1: Facebook Page Link (If Applicable)
https://www.facebook.com/ipsequipment
Business 1: Instagram Handle (If Applicable)
Business 2: Business Name:
Rivals Taproom
Business 2: Business Type:
Restaurant
Business 2: Business Owner First and Last Name:
Ashley Connelly
Business 2: Business Physical Location Address:
2500 E M 21, Corunna, MI 48817
Business 2: Twitter Handle (If Applicable)
Business 2: Facebook Page Link (If Applicable)
https://www.facebook.com/RivalsTaphouse
Business 2: Instagram Handle (If Applicable)
Business 3: Business Name:
[325]Business 3: Business Type:
[507]Business 3: Business Owner First and Last Name:
[326]Business 3: Physical Location Address
[327]Business 3: Twitter Handle (If Applicable)
[374]Business 3: Facebook Page Link (If Applicable)
[373]Business 3: Instagram Handle (If Applicable)
[383]Please list the names of any additional partners:
[336]Image Caption 1 (if any): Mural Canvas wall.
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Image Caption 2 (if any): Mural canvas before. (We plan on moving the structure when the mural goes up).
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