Newsletter

This past January, members of the Sierra Club’s Kanza and Thomas Hart Benton Groups met and discussed several projects designed to participate in the Sierra Club’s June emphasis on national river cleanups and the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial celebration. Locally, we will cleanup and beautify some of the Kansas City Missouri riverfront in anticipation of a planned September 13 Missouri River cleanup sponsored by Missouri River Relief.

One project selected was painting artwork on thirteen concrete floodwalls located under the pedestrian bridge at the Town of Kansas near the old Municipal Wharf area at 1st & Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri. This event is intended to bring awareness to Missouri River issues by reconnecting the community with the Missouri River and Kansas City riverfront.

On June 28, 2003, Sierra Club volunteers will paint the project area with a primer coat of latex paint. The work project, coinciding with the 199th anniversary of Lewis & Clark’s camping near the mouth of the Kansas River, is intended create a "blank canvas" for the future artwork and to generate media attention for the floodwall art project and a September 13 Missouri River cleanup event. Sierra Club volunteers should bring their favorite paint roller, roller extension, and wear their favorite painting attire. The more volunteers, the faster the project will be finished.

The Town of Kansas/Municipal Wharf area was chosen because of the newly constructed pedestrian bridge, ease of public access, proximity to the River Market area, and parking. It is visible on the south riverbank from the Heart of America and Broadway Bridges, the Kansas City Missouri Downtown Airport, and the Missouri River.

The project comes at a time when Kansas City riverfront reinvigoration efforts are gaining momentum. For example, the Kansas City Riverfront Heritage Trail will pass directly by the project area and the Missouri Department of Conservation has plans to construct a wetlands area directly to the east of the project area.

In April, Sierra Club received permission from the Kansas City Missouri Levee Committee to go forward with the floodwall art project. The Levee Committee, in consultation with the Port Authority and Landmarks Commission, has suggested that the theme for the artwork "be in keeping with the location adjacent to the historic site of the Town of Kansas or other appropriate historical depictions of Kansas City." Although the artwork is required to have the historical theme, the artists/teams are given creative latitude in their choice of artistic style.

Local artists/teams are actively being sought to submit artwork designs. Since this is a community project, the artists/teams are being asked to volunteer their skills, creativity, and supplies to help make the floodwall art project a reality. As the project evolves, efforts will be made to raise funds and locate sponsors. However, artists/teams are strongly encouraged to seek local sponsors for their artwork.

All Sierra Club members are encouraged to spread the word to potential artists and/or sponsors about the project. It is important that this project be painted by local artists (it is open to anyone residing within 150 miles of Kansas City), with local expressions of creativity, using local support, and with as much community involvement as possible.

The submission deadline for the artwork designs is June 25, 2003. A Project Committee formed of representatives of the Levee Committee, Port Authority, Landmarks Commission, Kansas City Missouri Municipal Arts Commission, Sierra Club, members of the art community and the public will select the artwork designs for the floodwalls.

For more information about the floodwall art project or how you can help, check out the "Request for Artist’s Proposal" at the Sierra Club, Thomas Hart Benton Group, website, sierra.kcwebs.net or contact Bill Nichols, Sierra Club THB Group member, at (816)983-8526.