Downtown Ferndale Gets Artsy with Bus Stops

Downtown Ferndale Gets Artsy with Bus Stops
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Aug. 15, 2016)
Ferndale, MI – Downtown Ferndale volunteers came out Sunday to start what they hope will be an ever-evolving project of beautifying local bus stops. The Ferndale Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has teamed up with Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMARTT) for the project to turn existing bus stops into public art.
“What better way to celebrate public art and transit than to enhance the travel experience and the downtown landscape at the same time?” said the DDA Executive Director Barry Hicks.  Hicks credited DDA Design Committee volunteer Dustin Hagfors for coming up with the ideas and giving them a “decidedly Ferndale twist” by making the facelifts more artistic in nature.
In 2006 the City worked with art students on unique bus stop seating with their “The Bus Stops Here” series.  This includes the pink and orange cylindrical seats in front of Dunkin Donuts and the red, white, and blue crisscross designed bench in front of C!Tech Solutions.
This next round has a catchy name as well.
“SMART is looking forward to the creation of the first ever “Art in SMART” bus shelter enhancement program in cooperation with the Ferndale DDA,” said John C. Hertel, General Manager of SMART, “We are always open to partnering with local communities and Ferndale is no exception. By intertwining public art with public transit not only is the street landscape more interesting our riders experience is greatly enhanced.”
Volunteers painted and cleaned the bus shelter on W. 9 Mile just West of Woodward.  Chris Best, proprietor of the Rust Belt Market, will soon be adding the crowning piece – a “green” roof made of succulents much like the Ferndale Area District Library already has.
Art in communities like Ferndale is not just something cool to do, there is demonstrated value in place-making.  The Michigan Municipal League has done research into the impact of public art and other features on communities.  Though the effects can be easily seen in SE Michigan with the reputation that Ferndale has for being a hub of artistic activity and entrepreneurship.
And it doesn’t just help attract dollars to the community.  It helps the environment too.  Green roofs and green spaces, no matter how small, do some part in rainwater capture and retention.  The more living roofs, raingardens and naturally landscaped features there are, the less water rushes off concrete and into the drains. What starts as a tiny bus shelter roof could end up inspiring others.
The project is starting with beautification of the existing downtown bus stops, but could grow to include new installations at stops that currently lack seating or shelter. The DDA is considering how this can grow, and is inviting residents and those from the business community to come together and make the project as artsy and impactful as they’d like.
Learn more about the DDA and how to get involved at www.downtownferndale.com.

Save this post to PDFPrint this post