8 November 2012
Jeff Schild, Chairman
Rapid City Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Dear Mr. Schild,
Thank you for the opportunity to offer comments on policies to be discussed at the advisory board meeting today.
Friends of Rapid City parks endorses the draft Public Art Policy, with one recommended revision. In addition to the Community Planning & Development Office, the Public works Department, Risk Management and Human Resources/ADA, we urge you to include the Rapid City Arts Council as one of the city bodies to review and comment on proposals for placement of public art in the park system.
The current policy on placement of memorials in the park system has served well since its adoption in 2007. However, we encourage the advisory board to review that policy for consistency with the Draft Public Art Policy to see if revisions or updates are necessary to enable the two policies to work together.
Recognizing that the advisory board has proposals pending before it, and that public fervor may not permit waiting for adoption of a new policy and review under those standards, we defer to the board’s recommendation on how to deal with what has become an unnecessarily controversial topic. However, we urge the board to put a hold on any new proposals until the new policy is reviewed and adopted, and measures are in place to complete proposal review.
Our park system already has a strong memorial component in the recognition that the greenway is in remembrance of the 1972 flood. Memorial plantings, plaques and benches support that purpose. Art also contributes to the public enjoyment of the park system. Placement of memorials and public art should not become political decisions. Clear policies on proposals will enable proponents of art and memorials to make the case for their ideas and give decision makers standards that create a level playing field and avoid perceptions of favoritism or politics.
Thank you for considering our views.
Suzanne Martley
Executive Director