North Davis Greenbelt Public Art Corridor Proposal Page 1

North Davis Greenbelt Public Art Corridor

By: Tony Perkins To: Carrie Dyer, Civic Arts Commission Date: October 5, 2014 sustainable recreation design

Overview

I am proposing a North Davis Greenbelt Public Art Corridor project (Art Corridor) to enhance the City’s nearly completed North Davis Riparian Greenbelt project (Greenbelt Project), and follow through with the public art element that was embraced by the community during the public outreach process for the Greenbelt Project.

Public art elements within the Art Corridor would be functional art pieces that fulfill art, design, recreation, and habitat enhancement elements identified as important to the community, but not funded by the Greenbelt Project due to budgetary constraints and grant requirements. The Art Corridor would be designed to be community-oriented and inclusive to artists of all ages and abilities, featuring a number of projects, ranging from low-budget items such as botanical plant markers designed by local school-children to larger items such as bike racks or seating elements designed by professional artists of various media.

Background

The Greenbelt Project, managed by Putah Creek Council, intends to "green" the storm water drainage channel in north Davis by replacing weeds with drought-tolerant native plants, establishing trees to shade the channel, and creating interpretive areas to communicate the purpose and value of native plants and sustainable landscape management. Funding for this project is provided by the Strategic Growth Council's Urban Greening Program, via California Proposition 84.

The Greenbelt Project has already engendered a sense of community and stewardship. The adjacent channel has been enhanced with hundreds of native plants, planted and now maintained by hundreds of community volunteers, and a “Friends of” group has been formed for the Greenbelt Project. Additionally, the City is now extending some of our landscape design elements to more of the greenbelt

area to improve aesthetic s, and reduce water and maintenance. Figure 1- Community volunteers at a North Davis Riparian Greenbelt Project planting event.

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Interpretive Areas Three main sites along the greenbelt are being enhanced as interpretive areas (Figure 2):

1. Spider Web Park, Senda Nueva Greenbelt 2. Bird Entry Park, Anderson Road 3. Northstar Connection

Figure 2- Interpretive Area Overview Map

These interpretive areas complement restoration work that was done in the drainage channel, with narrative displays that illustrate the importance of water conservation, water quality, native plants, and wildlife habitat. Art projects within the Art Corridor would be focused in these nodes, with opportunities for projects throughout the drainage channel corridor and nearby greenbelts, if appropriate. These projects would be intended to provide elements that were supported by the community during the public outreach process, but not funded by the Greenbelt Project. Art projects would be functional, and serve a purpose for human use and/or wildlife habitat, while enhancing aesthetic quality. Community-supported elements that are common to all three points of interest and could be interpreted by artists and local school children as part of the Art Corridor include:

• Bike racks • Naturalistic seating elements • Botanical plant markers • Bee boxes, and/or artistic habitat enhancement features

Figure 4- Rustic wood bench Figure 3- Ag-themed bike racks Figure 5- Bee box

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Spider Web Park Pollinator Garden The concept for “Spider Web Park” on the Senda Nueva Greenbelt includes a pollinator garden and native plantings, and two interpretive displays that overlook the garden, playground, and channel. The interpretive area is designed to accommodate future public art. Renovation of the wooden crib walls was part of the original design and supported by the community, but not included in

the final design due to the fact that such a renovation would be more appropriately completed by a professional artist.

The displays will explain the importance of pollinator habitat, local pollinators, milkweeds, and Monarch Butterflies. Art projects will complement the displays and plantings, and should be designed to outlive the gardens.

Options for potential art elements specific to this site include: • The wood crib wall could be resurfaced with decorative, inlaid

tiles reflecting elements of the site theme. • Crib wall could be replaced with artistic seat wall (right). • Mosaic pedestals could be placed along the trailside to

celebrate pollinator species. • Hand-crafted shelter boxes could be placed among the gardens

to attract solitary bees or pollinating birds.

Figure 6- Spider Web Park Conceptual Plan

Figure 8- Mockups for pollinator-themed interpretive displays. Art for displays will be funded by the Riparian Project.

Figure 7- Wooden crib walls proposed to be restored or replaced.

Figure 9- “Compassion Bench”

Figure 10- "Miss Bee Haven"

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Bird Entry Park “Bird Entry Park,” connecting Anderson Blvd. with the channel, features an existing bird-themed shade structure. The interpretive area is designed to build on the existing bird theme, and enhance habitat for specific resident and migratory birds. Seating was one important element to this design that was not funded due to budgetary constraints. Community members voiced their desires for rustic, informal seating that would not be inviting to sleep on.

The interpretive signs will illustrate bird habitat values, observed bird species, and bird behaviors in the channel and along the Pacific Flyway.

Figure12- Mockups for bird-theme interpretive displays. Art for displays will be funded by the Riparian Project. Options for potential art elements specific to this site include:

• Bird houses for various species could be installed in the channel and interpretive gardens by community groups, research interests and birding advocates.

• Fixed telescopes or docks for visitors’ spotting scopes could be incorporated into the design of the observation alcove’s railing.

• A species chart could be added, including a Quick Response (QR) code to seasonal bird counts and expert commentary on seasonal birding conditions.

• Seats or benches crafted from rustic logs, unsurfaced timber, and/or natural concrete.

Figure 11- Bird Entry Park Conceptual Plan.

Figure 14- Fixed viewing docks Figure 13- Decorative bird bath

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Northstar Connection The theme for the third interpretive area is human influence. Key features include turf alternative demonstrations and local farming activity across the channel to the north. The infrastructure at this site has been designed to account for future expansion of planting and seating/educational spaces. One interpretive sign focuses on hedgerows and agricultural issues, while the other is designed to teach people about the ecology, horticulture, habits, and maintenance requirements for turf grass alternatives represented at the garden.

Bicycle parking was one important element that was dropped from the plans due to budgetary constraints. Options for potential art elements specific to this site include:

• Artistic bicycle racks. • A gate to restrict access during hazardous

conditions. • Botanical signage. • A shade structure. • A First Peoples /medicinal plant garden.

Figure15 - Northstar Connection conceptual plan

Figure 16- Human Influence-themed interpretive displays

Figure 17- Rustic yet artistic gate

Figure 18- Artistic shade structure

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Proposal I would like to respectfully request that the Civic Arts Commission (CAC) set aside funding through the Municipal Art Fund, and open up Requests for Proposals for several functional public art projects that would fall under the umbrella of the proposed North Davis Greenbelt Public Art Corridor Project.

Funding several separate-but -connected projects within the Art Corridor is the key to providing public art opportunities for youth, emerging artists, and professionals while facilitating the public art element that was embraced by the community during the public outreach process for the North Davis Riparian Greenbelt Project.

A secondary alternative would be for the CAC to fund one professional public art project, and approve additional projects within the North Davis Greenbelt Public Art Corridor on condition that the additional projects would be privately funded. Although this alternative would still provide public art opportunities for youth and emerging artists, it may not appeal to professional artists and low income individuals would be disadvantaged due to the inability to fund their own work. Should this alternative be selected, renovation of the wooden crib walls at the Spider Web Park Pollinator Garden (Figure 7) would be the preferred project to be funded. The final product may be similar to the local mosaic seat wall, “Miss Bee Haven,” designed by Donna Billick (Figure10). If the CAC is not currently able to fund any such art projects at this time, a third alternative would be for the CAC to keep the project on the agenda for future consideration, and approve the Art Corridor without funding. In either case, Tony Perkins, and/or additional representatives from the “Friends of the North Davis Ditch” could play a role in the project management and advisory processes. Thank you,

Tony Perkins SUSTAINABLE RECREATION DESIGN arperkins@ucdavis.edu (714) 469-4202 1800 Moore Blvd. #292 Davis, Ca 95618