DBDA paints a Boone future with public art

By Frank Ruggiero

ruggiero@wataugademocrat.com

Picture a downtown “artscape.”

The Downtown Boone Development Association, along with local government agencies and business owners, is helping to paint this picture of an urban artscape project.

Mary Baker, project coordinator, is hoping to incorporate public art into downtown Boone with a long-term goal to incorporate it into the entire town.

“Art is a huge facet in Boone,” Baker said. “We live in a very large art community here, and it’s important to tourism. We’re giving it a face in the streets.”

This face will come not only in the form of public art displays, but quite possibly through infrastructure, such as tree guards, benches, garbage receptacles and even manhole covers.

Last year, the Watauga Arts Council, in conjunction with the DBDA, applied for a planning grant from the N.C. Arts Council to jump start the planning process to implement an urban artscape plan in downtown Boone, DBDA director Tuesdae Rice said.

Arts council director Cherry Johnson wrote the grant application, which was accepted a financial match from the DBDA. The state arts council would provide $2,500, while the DBDA would match $3,000.

An artscape planner, Cynthia Rice, was hired, and the public portion of the planning commenced, including education and community participation. A committee comprised of various representatives from the town of Boone, Tourism Development Authority, Appalachian State University, High Country Host, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, and Watauga County was formed to further the planning process and gather input.

“We’re going back and reviewing the plan we’ve been given, making adjustments to what we want to see in downtown Boone,” Baker said, pointing out the town has no master plan for downtown Boone, yet, “and we hope to help incorporate guidelines into it. A lot of people have been interested, and there’s definitely no lack of support.”

The plan, she explained, would include background on downtown Boone, establishing its identity and vision for the future, including ideas for specific art sites, while implementing recommendations from the public.

“It would become a component of the downtown master plan,” Rice said. “But before we start putting anything on the street, we’re hoping to finish the planning process.”

Rice said Baker has been persistent and thorough in ensuring the planning process is completed, and a meeting of the committee is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 4 p.m. at the Watauga County Public Library.

“We have a great group of individuals that wants to see this come into fruition,” Rice said.

The DBDA is also open to accepting recommendations and suggestions from the public.

“If people have ideas, we certainly welcome them to come in and share them,” Rice said, adding volunteers are also needed.

“We want to make sure people have the opportunity to say something about what they’d like to see.”

Town council member Bunk Spann is excited about the project, but sees it as more of a public-private endeavor.

“A good idea might not be affordable, and that’s the question,” he said, mentioning that such a project could prove rather costly.

“I’d like to see a partnership because we all see this as valuable, but neither entity might be able to do it by themselves.”

Baker said the project would be funded through private donations, businesses interested in purchasing a piece of art for their property, and grants. “The DBDA, especially for street furniture and infrastructure, is willing to commit what it has,” she said.

Until then, the public can help by contributing ideas. To do so, contact the Downtown Boone Development Association at 262-4532.