RColorful Corners’ First Project is Completed!

If you’ve driven past the intersection of 5th Avenue & 7th Street SE within the past week, then you’ve had a chance to admire the colorful corner that it has become!

We got rained out on the original paint date of Saturday, June 16. But on Sunday morning (June 17) we were at the location bright and early to grid and block out the mural. Designed by Slatterly Park Neighbor, Susan Waughtal and modified by muralist Greg Wimmer, the outlines of this work of art started forming from the inside out.

Once the shapes were formed, volunteers were able to start painting them in. It was amazing how the pavement soaked up the paint. RNeighbors had to travel to pick up additional paint three times!

Neighbors young, old, and every age in between stopped throughout the sunny and warm day to participate in this official Year of the Family event. Over 120 volunteers, many from the SE neighborhood came by to work together on the street mural. As neighbors worked, they visited and got to know each other. By 2 pm, the neighbors had created a positive asset that will greet drivers, walkers, bikers for years to come. Lots of colorful photos were taken throughout the entire process of this project.

Paint for the pilot RColorful Corners project was provided through a Picture-it-Painted award, written by RNeighbors, granted from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) and the Valspar Corporation. The paint is street paint (like the kind used to paint lines on roads). A non-skid additive was mixed in to ensure additional safety to motorists and pedestrians. Mautz Paint Factory Store/Sherwin-Williams donated brushes, buckets, and drop cloths to help us along in the project. Safety Signs donated the street barricades that were required to be placed, blocking off the streets around the intersection.

Fun, bright orange t-shirts were provided to the first 120 painters on the scene, compliments of Yaggy Colby Associates, Weis Builders, and Sixta Insurance. Once the painting attention span of the kids was used up they were able to enjoy interactive games compliments of Jolly Jumpz. Hy-Vee provided lunch that was grilled and served up by volunteers from Operation Hometown Gratitude. Steps to a Healthier Rochester, and Slatterly Park Neighbors (Neighborhood Association) provided funds that allowed us to contract Greg Wimmer, our muralist.

This mural hopes to be the first of many RColorful Corners in Rochester; projects where residents work together to add color to their neighborhood, one corner at a time.