As the weather warms, people are heading out, to the fields and trails, looking for ways to enjoy the sun. And while Summit County already has much to offer from rock-strewn mountains and clear reservoirs to public parks and sidewalk shopping Park City is always looking to add to its attractions.
The Park City Public Art Advisory Board is responsible, in part, for deciding how City Hall does that. As the group enters its third year, the organization can point to a pair of accomplishments around the city, including the decorated bus stops and the new Park City Sound Garden. But since that attraction opened in August, the Art Advisory Board has avoided the spotlight, working instead behind the scenes.
"We’re kind of finishing up some projects," said board chairman Ron Butkovich.
The eight-member group, he said, is currently finalizing plans for the signs and plaques at the newly redecorated bus stops and the Sound Garden, while at the same time approving the finishing touches on those structures and figuring out which projects to tackle next.
According to Butkovich, the group’s next project will be a group of installations called "Sound Treasures."
"Those are four more installations that are similar to the Sound Garden," explained Art Advisory Board member Julie Hopkins, "but instead of putting them down in a cluster, they’re going placed along a trail in a linear fashion."
The Sound Treasures, Hopkins added, have been privately funded by an anonymous donor. She said the board will finalize project’s location which will likely be in the eastern portion of Park City proper pending its approval. There is no set timetable for the project’s completion.
"We’re just trying to get everybody’s ducks in a row," said Butkovich.
In addition to the Sound Treasures, the board is also working on installing some other works around town. In the near future the group will fund two additions to the seven sculptures representing seven of the nine muses in Greek mythology installed at the south end of the Old Town transit center.
According to Hopkins, the city only had the funding to build seven sculptures when they were installed after the completion of the transit center.
"We’re going to use the public art board budget to fund the last two," Hopkins said.
The two muses to be built will be Euterpe, the muse of music and Melpomene, muse of tragedy. The seven sculptures already constructed represent Urania, Thalia, Clio Terpsichore, Erato, Polyhymnia, and Calliope the muses of astronomy, comedy, history, dance, romantic poetry, sacred poetry and epic poetry. The final two sculptures would complete the group.
The Art Advisory Board will also be working to install some more practical works of art.
"We’re going to partner with the Parks and Recreation board to get some benches and bike racks designed," Butkovich said.
"Bike racks and benches are two of the priorities right now," said Hopkins.
The board is preparing to send out a request for proposals (RFP) for colorful, creative and artistically designed bike racks, park benches and trashcans.
"They’ve got some in Salt Lake [City] that are fun shapes and colors," noted Butkovich.
Hopkins said the board is waiting to finalize the dimensions of the pieces. When that happens, the group will announce the official RFP. In the meantime, though, the group will see some changes. The board’s June 14 meeting will be the last for four of the seven regular board members (the eighth is city liaison Sharon Bauman), so between now and June 1, the board is seeking applications from Parkites interested in joining the group.
The group meets on the second Wednesday of each month from 5-7 p.m. at the Miners Hospital. Hopkins said applications are available at www.parkcity.org or at City Hall. The Park City Council, which oversees the board, will interview applicants after the June 1 deadline.
"We’d love [for] people to apply," said Hopkins, "and it’s such an awesome board to be a part of."
