Paint the ‘brick’ Community Engagement Project Proposal

Description of the project:

City mural on/in the building formally known as the ‘Brick’ located at 16th Avenue and Center Street NW to create public art for a community that cares about diversity and not wanting people to freeze. Celebrating local artists/street art by breaking down the barriers in the process of painting the mural. To create a public art space to become a visual hallmark of a community that is focused on the housing needs of tomorrow.

Purpose:

To engage the citizens living in the surrounding communities, and put a face to the humanitarian needs why shelter are needed in a booming economy. Create a sense of security and community identity for the citizens and bridge, relationships with the people sleeping in the shelter to the people who live in the neighborhood. To create awareness and educate the citizens of Calgary around poverty, housing, and not in my backyard mentality (nimby)

Targeted citizens:

Surrounding communities, businesses, faith communities, schools, artists, activists, photographers and most importantly engaging thee people who will need a place to sleep. People encouraged to providing images, messages of hope, welcome and community pride for the people living in the shelter.

Phase 1:

Engage the Mustard Seed and the communities of Crescent Heights, Rosedale, Tuxedo and Renfrew to paint a city mural with people using the Mustard Seed Services.

Invite local artists, activist groups, local businesses to donate time, materials, food and talent to create the vision.

Phase 2:

Design, do we section of pieces of wall or go with an overall theme, brainstorm on ideas and engage an arts group at the Seed to create the design.

Phase 3:

Painting day. Inviting community to take part in the project; artists, film makers, musicians, food vendors, street performers to document the day, provide support to the artists to paint the brick.

Outcome:

Create a public art space permanently on 16th Avenue and Centre Street by recycling of the art, materials to preserve the imagery in a permanent display such as the proposed sound walls and park areas around 16th Ave to why homes are needed for all.

I'm a local artist..

(see? http://www.elusive-joker.deviantart.com)

I want in please.

[quote=rachel]
That's great rachel.
I put the propsoal forward to Alderman Farrell and will follow up on how things are going.

I hear community consultations are beginning soon on solutions to enhance the well-being of everyone using the 'brick' and people who live in the area. I am going to send this off to David Lupton and a few Alderman.

RE: DP2006-3261

Suggestions to increase social-well being of the Special Care Facility and Surrounding Neighborhood

I attended last nights (November 30th hearing) “Report to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board” meeting in support of the shelter. I heard a lot of concern about safety, sustainability and long-term solutions to assist the Special Care Facility. Here are some suggestions to increase social well-being, safety of the neighborhoods in the development of the Special Care Facility located on Centre Street and 16 Avenue NW

1. Recycling city clean up incentive program

A city recycling/street litter reward program
For every 2 bags of recycling/street litter turned in to the depot, person receives food stamps or bus tickets.

2. Urban Rest Stop reuse of building materials

Recycling of building supplies into the Special Care Facility are reused in an Day-time use Urban Rest Stop or Wellness Centre to assist people with a clean shower, laundry and basic hygiene. Centre can include low-income housing units above, coffee shop etc.

3. Revitalization Citizenship Engagement Volunteer program

Already the Seed has 11,000 volunteers but when combined with the letters of support for the shelter, Volunteer Calgary and local community associations, faith community and local businesses engage in revitalization projects to enhance community safety, cleanliness and employment programs and local art.

Commercial – Advertising Incentive program

Local businesses provided advertising on city owned space such as city transit when they hire and employee a person living at the shelter for full-time. For example, washroom security/clean-up at Central Landmark mall.

Community – Safety Audit and Revitalization

Community association task force teams walk around surrounding neighborhoods and identify areas where people need enhanced lighting, garbage cans, and gardens/planters for the summer.
A team of artists from the Drop In, Mustard Seed and Salvation Army also design a mural for the Special Care Facility as a community engagement project partnership with the faith community, local schools, artists, activists and concerned citizens.

5. Optional Automated application for social services

Many people work during the day and cannot apply to the many services/programs available to people living on low-income housing such as Alberta Works to offset the cost of living the low income transit pass, rent bank etc. A smart card (scan card from the seed) that automatically fills out the chosen forms to start the application process will help people transition into long-term housing.

If an ‘approved applicant’ in screened at the shelter, a person can select from an array of application processes for municipal, provincial and federal application services to assist the person to connect to social services and infrastructure. Calgary Housing, the nine programs to assist people with cost of living ex. Low-income transit pass application, tax assistance program for a tax assessment.