We know what the 3-2 vote against funding the sculpture art trail looks like on paper – two council members disagree with the project.
Council members Paul Tuerler and Mark Andresen made it clear they don’t hate art or the project. They have issues with the funding stream that was chosen, and the definition of the funding stream established a decade ago. Especially considering the Inter-Urban Trail park moving forward in Cedar Rapids.
To be clear, that recreation and bike trail will be important. The trail will connect Mount Vernon to Cedar Rapids and give bicyclists a safer way to travel from Cedar Rapids to Mount Vernon. We agree with Tuerler that recreation trails like these are beneficial to the communities they connect. We hear about people enjoying the Ely to Solon or Solon to Sutliff bike trails (and combination of roads). It would be great to have a trail connecting Mount Vernon to Cedar Rapids, and that work continuing on the trail is important.
We get that saving for the trail project, especially Mount Vernon’s portion of the trail connecting out near Bryant Park, will cost a few years of money from that LOSST trail funding, and every penny will help.
However, that trail is not the only trail project that needs to be tackled by the city. The parks and recreation commission looked at both the long-term plans for things like the Inter Urban Trail and a short-term project like phase 3 of the sculpture art trail. There is also maintenance to other trails or making the connections in other areas to help increase the walkability and safety for pedestrians.
The Mount Vernon Area Arts Council was also able to collect additional funding for the sculpture art trail for phase 2 because of the city’s prior support and funding. They had proof of what was accomplished to show “this isn’t just a dream, we have the start.” Yes, they returned to the city for another phase to continue the project with more art. The decision got tabled in March for parks and recreation to provide their recommendation to the city council, and that commission moved this should advance. And that’s where the issue was for the council – what funding streams could work for this project? And should the council be held to the language of 10 years ago or as it was written, should that stream have flexibility for this and other councils to fund trails from LOSST.
In the long run, we’ll have a third phase of sculptures for the art trail moving forward, a win for additional art in the community of Mount Vernon.