The mural is destined for the north side of the building in an alley just east of the Kosciusko County Courthouse. The old Readers World building is used as an event space and is part of 110 Craft Meatery, which is just to the south.
WARSAW — A student-led beautification effort is underway in the downtown.
Members of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, a group that was established last year as a way to get young people involved in bettering the city, is seeking to have a mural painted on a downtown building.
Three members of the group, Jacob Kissling, Katie Swain and Mason Charlton — all Warsaw Community High School students — presented the city board of works and safety with a request to approve a $5,000 grant from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority on Monday, April 22, to help pay for the mural.
The group, which includes eight students, intends to have a mural painted on the north side of 110 Craft Meatery’s wall along the alleyway. Local artist Robert Hudson will do the work. The mural is the group’s first project.
The mural is expected to cost $7,500 and the group intends to rely on fundraising for the final $2,500, said Senior Planner Justin Taylor.
The mural will consist of an image of the courthouse on one end and Center Lake on the other, Taylor said.
The group looked at several projects before choosing the mural.
“Taking kind of an idea stage to an actual planning stage to an implementation stage was a big part of the process that they (now) understand what’s involved,” said Mayor Joe Thallemer. “I could not be happier with what they are doing as citizens of the city of Warsaw.”
The group hopes to have the mural completed sometime this summer.
Anyone wanting to donate can email the youth advisory council at [email protected].
In other matters, the board took action on two projects that will benefit two school neighborhoods. One involved approval of a preliminary engineering agreement that will cost $138,000 for work in preparation of significant sidewalk improvements on several streets west of Lincoln Elementary. That project is expected to begin in 2022.
The board also approved an agreement to secure $256,000 in grant money that will be used to enhance sidewalks along North Pointe Drive west of Harrison Elementary. The money was obtained through the state’s Community Crossings grant program. Bids for the work will be sought in May, said Public Works Superintendent Jeff Beeler.
The board also:
- Approved an annual review of outdoor seating plans for two downtown restaurants, Rua and 110 Craft Meatery.
- Approved plans by the police department to use the Manahan Orthopedic Capital Center for the DARE graduation ceremonies on May 14.
- Approved numerous pay applications and updates on several ongoing construction and improvement projects involving sewers.