Groups join efforts on placemaking projects

WORLAND — The Wyoming Business Council conducted a placemaking workshop in Worland recently and it inspired several groups to look at projects in the community. Those groups came together recently to exchange ideas and support a grant proposal.

According to the WBC website, “Placemaking is a multi-faceted approach to make your community a better place to live, work, and play by transforming underutilized public spaces into vibrant community places. Placemaking capitalizes on a local community’s assets, inspirations and potential that contribute to people’s health, happiness, safety and well-being.  As a place becomes more desirable and welcoming, people will want to spend more time in them. Because of this, Placemaking can increase both the sales tax and property tax base within a community.”

In recent meetings the Board of Adjustment and Planning Commission began talking about ideas to enhance Pioneer Square that might encourage visitors to stop and spend time in Worland. At the same time, Public Works Director Brian Burky was working on getting public input and developing specific plans for Pioneer Square.

In addition, RT, fresh off their successful first

annual Trim-A-Tree program was looking for a summer program in a Worland park. The groups met at the BAPC meeting Feb. 7.

Burky said he is seeking a $5,000 Placemaking grant from the WBC. His concern was if the BAPC decided to seek a grant from the WBC as well, they would be competing against each other.

Upon hearing of his plan, the BAPC said they would support Burky and his grant proposal in anyway they could.

Burky’s proposal is to provide additional seating in the southwest corner of Pioneer Square at Big Horn and Ninth. Work last summer enhanced the front entrance to the park at Big Horn and Tenth, including some game tables and benches and water fountain. He said he would like to add two game-top picnic tables, possibly some patio furniture and some outlets for those wishing to charge digital devices.

RT Communications, he said, has agreed to create a WiFi hotspot in the park.

Other amenities would include updating the information kiosk, and possibly adding some outdoor games like Connect 4 or Tic-Tac-Toe.

Burky said he has the matching grant funds through his city budget, as well as funds committed from the Newell Sargent Foundation.

He said during the early fall he sought public input at a farmers market and at city council meetings, presenting three options for Pioneer Square and the proposal with the most votes was the one he presented to the BAPC.

BAPC member James Donahue said the park project incorporated 90 percent of the ideas from the BAPC so he was excited about the project.

Chairman Scott Fritzler said other ideas they had discussed was an art wall for seasonal artwork and offering movies, similar to what Ten Sleep did last summer.

The movies is where RT comes in. Linda Weeks, RT marketing and sales supervisor, said during the Trim-A-Tree lighting event she was talking to Burky and they began talking about offering movies.

She is working on a plan for RT to offer movies in the park four nights during the summer. Tentative Saturday dates were July 27, Aug. 3, Aug. 10 and Aug. 17. It was suggested moving movie night to during the week because so many people go out of town on the weekends in the summer, it competes with opening weekend of movies at the local theater and there are community events during those weekends.

Weeks said the project is in the preliminary planning stages so she is not opposed to new dates or even a week day.

She said movies would be shown about 9:30 p.m.

They would need a theater system. She said the proposal would have RT providing $1,000 toward funding and she would be seeking sponsors to help cover the rest of the cost of the equipment.

Other ideas are to invite food vendors to park along Ninth Street for concessions during movie nights, a sponsor for free popcorn, and many volunteers for setting up and cleaning up after each event.

Weeks said they would show family movies.

The screen would be placed next to the big trees at the back of the park, behind the bell tower so it should not be a hindrance to drivers on Tenth or Big Horn, Weeks said.

For both park projects, BAPC member Landis Benson said, “This is perfect. This is something we can get behind and not compete with.”

Dennis Koch, council liaison to the BAPC said, “I love this idea.”

With the focus of these projects on Pioneer Square, the BAPC said they could turn their future Placemaking ideas to another park. Mike Dykman suggested Riverside Rotary Park or Hillcrest Park as they are also along main thoroughfares for travelers.