HomeMy WebLinkAboutC2. NEA Letter of Support
Commission Memorandum
REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Carolyn Poissant – TOP Design and Development Manager
Mitch Overton – Director of Parks and Recreation
SUBJECT: Letter of Support for National Endowment for the Arts Grant MEETING DATE: September 21, 2015
AGENDA ITEM TYPE: Consent
RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the Mayor to sign the attached Letter of Support for Trust
for Public Land’s application to the National Endowment for the Arts “Our Town” grant program
RECOMMENDED MOTION: I hereby move authorize the Mayor to sign the attached Letter
of Support for Trust for Public Land’s application to the National Endowment for the Arts
(“NEA”) “Our Town” grant program.
BACKGROUND: The City of Bozeman has a Memorandum of Understanding with Trust for Public Land for the planning and development of Story Mill Community Park (“Park Project”).
Under the terms of the MOU, the Trust for Public Land is authorized to apply for public and
private grants and to hold any awarded funds until such time as they can be applied to
construction of the Park Project. The NEA grant application is for approximately $200,000 and
would be applied towards design and fabrication of art and creative placemaking elements in the park. TPL would be the applicant and receive the grant directly. There would be no direct
financial contribution from the City. TPL will also provide the required 1:1 match.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES: None.
ALTERNATIVES: As Directed by Commission.
FISCAL EFFECTS: The grant application is an effort to bring additional resources to the Park Project.
ATTACHMENTS: Letter of Support
Report compiled on: September 11, 2015
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CITY OF BOZEMAN
121 North Rouse
P.O. Box 1230
Bozeman, MT 59771
Phone: (406) 582-2320
Fax: (406) 582-2344
TDD: (406) 582-2301
www.bozeman.net
Mayor
Jeff Krauss
Deputy Mayor
Carson Taylor
Commissioners Cyndy Andrus
Chris Mehl
I-Ho Polmeroy
Mr. Jason Schupbach
National Endowment for the Arts
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20506
September 21, 2015
Dear Our Town Panelists,
As Mayor of the City of Bozeman, I wish to express our support for The Trust for Public Land
grant application to the National Endowment for the Arts “Our Town” program for the Story Mill
Community Park project.
The City of Bozeman is working in partnership with The Trust for Public Land on the design and
development of Story Mill Community Park. We have committed $4.5 million in municipal Trails,
Open Space, and Parks bond funding to the project, which The Trust for Public Land is leveraging
in their philanthropic and private fundraising efforts. Community participation and engagement in
the project is significant and ongoing. The park is preliminarily planned to include opportunities for
natural and cultural interpretation, community gathering, a nature sanctuary, new trails and trail
connections, and active recreation. The NEA Our Town funding would ensure the inclusion of the
highest quality art, interpretative and creative placemaking elements, which will tell the incredible
story of the park site’s past, present and future.
The Story Mill site has deep connections to Gallatin Valley's history and agricultural heritage and
includes a portion of the Northern Pacific and Story Mill National Historic District. Standing on the
property today, one can catch a glimpse of the valley as it looked over one hundred years ago,
defined by wild rivers coursing through diverse wetlands, meadows, and woodlands. The site's
remnant wetlands continue to provide an essential haven for a remarkable array of birds and
wildlife in an otherwise urbanized environment. Open meadows and mature trees frame sweeping
vistas of the Bridger Mountains, giving visitors an immediate sense of space, quiet, and connection
to nature, despite an immediate proximity to a major arterial road, Interstate-90 and Historic
Downtown Bozeman. The creative placemaking efforts and public art that would be supported by
this grant have been core values of this project from its inception, and will greatly contribute to the
expected long-term value of Story Mill Community Park as an enduring cultural asset for Bozeman
and the greater Gallatin Valley region.
Parks help make cities more livable, attractive, and resilient. Beyond the many recreational
opportunities it will offer, the Story Mill Community Park will establish a unique sense of place and
identity in the Gallatin Valley, improving the quality of life for residents and visitors, while helping
foster healthy connections between our neighborhoods. As such, park development becomes an
important element in Bozeman's vision for a sustainable and vibrant economy, one in which all
community members can equally share.
It is an honor to write in support of this application. The City is committed to leveraging every
dollar of funds invested. Please know that, if awarded, the grant monies will carefully and wisely
support arts and integrated creative placemaking to enrich life in Bozeman.
Sincerely,
Mayor Jeff Krauss
City of Bozeman
Core Values
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