OSWEGO, NY – There is going to be a lot more paint on the walls along the Oswego River this summer. And, it won’t be graffiti.
At its meeting Monday night, the Physical Services Committee approved a request by the Springboard Mural Project Committee.
A few minutes later, the Administrative Services Committee OK’d a request by Jeff McCrobie, fire chief, to have the DPW stencil a “Wear It” stencil of various parts of Linear Park to be determined by DPW Commissioner Mike Smith.
The “Wear It!” campaign reinforces the importance of wearing personal flotation devices when you’re in or near the water, the chief explained.
Last fall, two out-of-town fishermen died in rapidly rising water while fishing in the Oswego River. Neither was wearing a PFD, according to reports.
“We’d like to put up posters in the city’s restaurants and maybe even on a billboard. We won’t take any space away from the mural project,” the chief said Monday night.
Linda Goodness, member of the Springboard Mural Project Committee, requested use of public space for the installation of the fourth series of murals to be placed on the Oswego Riverwalk West.
The project was started in 2009 as a way for the youth of the community to share their artwork in a positive and aesthetically pleasing way and to replace the graffiti and tagging, especially along the city’s scenic riverwalks, she explained.
The committee is made up of local artists, representatives from the city, the City-County Youth Bureau, Oswego County Opportunities, the Oswego Arts Collaboration and the YMCA.
“Over the last couple of years we’ve been down there and have completed 12 murals,” said Dawn Metott, a committee member from the Youth Bureau. “This year, we have 15 students and one committee member who put in proposals (for council approval) to do murals. We actually have 17 more murals planned for this year.”
Youth Court offenders who have been sentenced to community service will be down there to prime the walls and get them ready to cover the graffiti, she added.
In cooperation with the YMCA, we have funding remaining from the Cultural Resources Council to help fund supplies and other needs for this year’s project, she said, adding, there are some offers for donations, too.
Councilor Connie Cosemento, chair of the Physical Services Committee, asked if there was any way to display some of the notes the students made regarding their mural proposals.
“Some of them are very impressive,” she said.
“We have one that has to do with the history of the fort. We are looking to see if there is some way we could get a plaque made up for that and maybe some others,” Metott replied.
The full council will vote on the matters next Monday.
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