Some of you may have noticed that on Saturday, September 25, the streets to the west side of Media Borough Hall were closed off, and then, suddenly, huge fish appeared in the intersection. It was all a public art project that we hope will also serve as a traffic-calming measure. Over 50 volunteers, arriving in scheduled shifts, painted Media Borough’s first street mural that day, at the intersection of Third and Jackson Streets. The mural was designed by local artist, Carrie Barcomb and represents the four trout that swim the creeks and ponds of Delaware County. From left to right in the photo above they are: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout and Golden Trout. Music by the appropriately-named duo, “FishCastle” made the day merrier. A slushie cart kept everyone hydrated. Children too young for the painting part made their own street art with sidewalk chalk on the Borough driveway. It was a great, fun, day, with dedicated painters bringing color and life to Carrie’s design and many others behind the scenes, handing out paint and brushes and making it all work.
Engineers from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission did a traffic stop sign count several weeks before the mural. Their follow-up count after the mural install will provide data that will help us evaluate the effectiveness of the mural on intersection traffic. Whatever the result, the event brought our community together and produced a vivid, compelling piece of public art for all to enjoy.
The street mural was the result of a fruitful collaboration between the Borough and its Environmental Advisory Council, Open Streets (a program of Transition Town Media), and the Media Arts Council. Thank you, Planning Group and all Volunteers!!!
Many thanks to Rich Hoffman for the aerial photographs of the street mural. His timelapse video of the event can be seen at: https://www.facebook.com/rphoffmann/videos/281389250281728
