Project Report: Public Art Installation on the Blue Water River Walk

Fostering Sustainable Community Development Through Public Art

A new public art initiative has been launched for the Blue Water River Walk in Port Huron, spearheaded by the Community Foundation of St. Clair County. This project, supported by the Port Huron Rotary Club, seeks to commission a new art piece for the one-mile shoreline, directly contributing to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by enhancing public spaces, celebrating natural heritage, and fostering community partnerships.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.4: Protect Cultural and Natural Heritage: The project aims to create a lasting piece of cultural heritage that reflects the area’s transformation from an industrial site to a celebrated natural space. The thematic focus on local flora and fauna serves to safeguard and promote the region’s natural heritage.
• Target 11.7: Provide Access to Safe and Inclusive Public Spaces: By adding a significant art installation, the initiative enhances the Blue Water River Walk as an inclusive, green public space, encouraging community engagement, unity, and local pride.

SDG 14 & 15: Life Below Water and Life on Land

• The call for proposals encourages art that reflects the local ecosystem where the land and river meet. This includes representations of fish, birds, water, and trees, raising public awareness and appreciation for the conservation of both aquatic and terrestrial environments.
• The project celebrates the successful restoration of the shoreline, aligning with goals to protect and restore inland freshwater ecosystems and halt biodiversity loss.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Target 17.17: Encourage Effective Partnerships: This initiative is a model of effective civil society partnership, demonstrating a collaboration between the Community Foundation of St. Clair County and the Port Huron Rotary Club to achieve a shared community and sustainability goal.

Call for Proposals: Project Specifications

Thematic Focus

Proposals should reflect concepts that align with the River Walk’s character and its contribution to community sustainability. Key themes include:

• Nature and Ecosystems: Art reflecting the intersection of land and water, including local wildlife (birds, fish), flora (trees), or natural elements (water, seasons).
• Transformation and Restoration: Works that symbolize the shoreline’s journey from a forgotten industrial area to a celebrated natural habitat.
• Community and Unity: Concepts that embody the spirit of a shared public space, fostering local pride and a sense of unity.

Submission Requirements

Artists are required to submit proposals by July 31. The submission package must include the following:

1. A detailed sketch or rendering of the proposed artwork.
2. A short description outlining the concept, materials to be used, and the proposed size of the installation. The artwork should be comparable in scale to existing pieces such as ‘Stella, the Sturgeon.’
3. A professional biography or resume of the artist, detailing experience with previous public art projects.

Selection Process and Timeline

• A selection committee composed of members from the Community Foundation and the Port Huron Rotary Club will review initial proposals.
• Finalists will be invited to create a 3D model of their proposed artwork for presentation to the selection panel.
• The winning artist will be notified in September.
• The target for the installation of the artwork is spring 2026.

Budget and Funding

• A budget of $10,000 has been allocated for the design and fabrication of the artwork.
• These funds have been provided through a donation from the Port Huron Rotary Club as part of their commitment to community enhancement.
• The Community Foundation of St. Clair County will cover all costs associated with the installation of the final piece.

SDGs Addressed or Connected

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The article focuses on a project to “enhance the space for the community” by adding public art to the “Blue Water River Walk in Port Huron.” This directly relates to making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
• The project aims to improve a public, green space along a 1-mile shoreline, transforming it from a former “industrial space to the natural.”
• The art is intended to foster a “sense of community,” “unity,” and “local pride,” which are key components of sustainable communities.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The project is a clear example of a civil society partnership. The article explicitly states that the “Community Foundation of St. Clair County” is working with the “Port Huron Rotary Club.”
• The Rotary Club initiated the collaboration and provided the funding, while the Foundation is managing the project, including the call for proposals and the selection process. This demonstrates a partnership leveraging different strengths and resources to achieve a common goal.

SDG 14: Life Below Water & SDG 15: Life on Land

• These goals are connected thematically. The foundation is “seeking art that reflects some type of nature where the land and river meet.”
• Specific examples mentioned include “birds, fish, trees, water or seasons,” which directly reference elements of terrestrial (Life on Land) and aquatic (Life Below Water) ecosystems. The project promotes awareness and appreciation of local natural heritage.

Specific Targets Identified

Target 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.

1. The project safeguards and enhances local heritage by commissioning art that reflects the area’s specific character. The article notes the art should reflect the “transformation of the walk from industrial space to the natural,” preserving the story of the location.
2. It also aims to celebrate the area’s natural heritage by encouraging themes of local flora and fauna like “birds, fish, trees.” The resulting artwork becomes a new piece of cultural heritage for the community.

Target 11.7: Provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces.

1. The project is an “addition to our public art collection” on the “Blue Water River Walk,” a public space accessible to the community.
2. By adding art that enhances the beauty and reflects community values (“unity and local pride”), the project makes the public space more attractive and inclusive, encouraging its use by all members of the community.

Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.

1. The article details a partnership between two civil society organizations: the “Community Foundation of St. Clair County” and the “Port Huron Rotary Club.”
2. The partnership’s mechanics are described: the Rotary Club “reached out to the foundation” and “donated” the funds, while the Foundation manages the implementation. This is a direct example of a resource-sharing partnership to achieve a community development objective.

Indicators Mentioned or Implied

Indicators for Target 11.4

• A direct financial indicator is mentioned for expenditure on cultural heritage. The article states, “The budget for the artwork is set at $10,000 for design and fabrication,” with the foundation separately covering installation costs. This represents a specific investment in safeguarding and enhancing local culture.

Indicators for Target 11.7

• A qualitative and quantitative indicator is the creation of the artwork itself. The article states the goal is a “new piece of public art” and an “addition to our public art collection.” The number and quality of such installations serve as a measure of enhancement for public spaces.

Indicators for Target 17.17

• The existence of the partnership is a primary indicator. The article identifies the two partners by name (“Community Foundation” and “Rotary Club”).
• A financial indicator for the partnership’s value is provided: “Funds were donated by the Port Huron Rotary Club,” with the amount specified as “$10,000.” This measures the resources mobilized through the partnership.

Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: voicenews.com