BLOOMINGTON – The Parks and Recreation Department hosted a public open house on December 15th to unveil the proposed concepts for two signature gateways at principal entry points to the city.
During the open house, representatives from Rundell Ernstberger Associates (REA) presented concepts for the Miller-Showers Park gateway, on Bloomington’s north side in Miller-Showers Park between College Avenue and Walnut Street; and the Arlington pedestrian bridge gateway on State Road 45/46 east of I-69. The Arlington pedestrian bridge is owned and maintained by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), and any design must be evaluated and approved by INDOT.
“These gateways welcome residents and visitors to Bloomington and give them a final image before they leave,” said Mayor John Hamilton. “Bringing design that reflects the story of our City and the ideas of residents is the perfect way to bookend people’s time in Bloomington.”
The gateway project is one of seven Bicentennial bond projects announced during Bloomington’s Bicentennial year in 2018. REA presented conceptual designs for the gateways in December 2019 and collected input from city officials and the public regarding the gateway concepts. The gateway project was placed on hold during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the City and REA are re-launching the project with the unveiling of newly proposed concepts.
The conceptual designs include the proposed size, construction materials, themes, graphic features, and architectural and landscape elements. REA will collect feedback from members of the public, the Board of Park Commissioners, the Bloomington Area Arts Council, and city staff and officials through Jan. 6. Feedback will be used to refine the proposed designs, and to develop cost options for each gateway location.
REA landscape architect Kevin Sweetland said, “Through research and conversations with the public in 2019, our design team translated the city’s story into a compelling palette of materials and complementary forms. The gateway concepts rely on a combination of natural materials, light, and dramatic industrial elements to highlight the resiliency of Bloomington’s people and natural environment as they inhabit the city’s post-industrial landscapes and look towards a sustainable future.”
The public is welcome and encouraged to view and submit feedback on the two gateway concepts online; click here to access the survey website: https://bton.in/M6bei+.
Comments will be accepted through January 6.
For more information about the Bicentennial gateways, contact Tim Street, Parks & Recreation’s Operations and Development Division Director, at 812-349-3700 or tim.street@bloomington.in.gov.
