Veterans Courtyard - Downtown Marshalltown
Akwi Nji of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Akwi Nji of Cedar Rapids, IA
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Following the 2018 tornado community leaders identified the importance of moving forward with a new Master Plan for Downtown Marshalltown as part of the recovery process. In addition to the Downtown Master Plan, the Parks and Recreation Master Plan identified areas within the community that are not within a quarter or half mile of a current park, and this location is outside of the half-mile buffer. The placement of a park in this location will increase access and reduce the distance to travel to a City park for a large area of residents on the north side of the community while providing a new amenity in Downtown.
To further enhance the project, the Marshalltown Public Art Committee, in partnership with the City, has commissioned Iowa poet, Akwi Nji, to lead a sidewalk poetry project in the pocket park. Akwi will be facilitating conversations with community members who have stories to share from the tornado. She will take those stories and conversations to inspire her to create 10 different poems that will be stamped into the concrete in the pocket park. The poems will tell the story of Marshalltown's resiliency. The pocket park is located between the Veterans Memorial Coliseum and City Hall off of West State Street. For the Pocket Park to be safe and successful, the adjacent alley has been converted for pedestrians only. The pocket park will include a pickle ball court, benches, green space and a mural. Get to know Akwi and learn more about the project - listen to an interview of Akwi with KFJB 1230AM! Akwi's Website, Instagram & Facebook Learn more about Akwi Pocket Park Plans This project is funded by the Community Foundation of Marshall County's Rebuild Marshalltown Fund!
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While Nether410 was here for the Tremont mural, he gifted our community with one more mural, his paper airplane.
He shared the story of when he was younger he would make paper airplanes with his friends and send them off to watch where they would land. They became a metaphor for his life - you never know where life will take you! He now leaves his paper airplane in every community he visits. We are thrilled to have this new piece on the YSS of Marshall County wall in the new Downtown Pocket Park. What a perfect place for it! |
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