News Releases
Friday, May 4, 2012 News from the City of Lawrence
(Sent: 2012-05-04 07:15:01)NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Friday, May 4, 2012 News from the City of Lawrence
1) Grants awarded to local arts organizations for community art projects
2) Water Safety and Wellness Fair to be held
3) Adult golf clinics continue throughout the month at Eagle Bend
4) Construction
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Contact: Diane Stoddard, assistant city manager, (785) 832-3413
(Lawrence, Kan.) - The City of Lawrence is pleased to announce the results of the 17th Annual Community Arts Grant competition. Five grants totaling $7,200 will be awarded at the May 15, 2012 Lawrence City Commission meeting by Mayor Bob Schumm and Kathy Porsch, Chair of the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission (LCAC), which selected the winners.
“This grant program is predicated on the belief that the arts are essential to the proper functioning of our community,” said Porsch. “It is intended to promote awareness of and appreciation for the arts in Lawrence, and to encourage collaborations within the Lawrence arts community that will increase the impact of the arts across a broad spectrum of our residents. Given the range of excellent projects funded this year, we feel confident they will meet these goals.”
The following organizations will receive awards:
Douglas County Senior Services, Inc., Project Director Marla Jackson, “Oral History Quilt Project,” Award: $2,000
This year long project is designed to bring community members together in a creative process of narrative art making. Seniors (55 and older) will share their personal life stories while studying the various methods for recording stories, including narrative art on display at local museums and galleries. Actual quilts will be made either by quilting guilds or quilting circles or else there will be a public creation of a quilt before opening the project’s traveling exhibition, which starts at the Spencer Museum of Art in May 2013. Project partners include quilt artist Marla Jackson, Spencer Museum of Art, Watkins Community Museum of History, Terriorial Capital/Lane Museum, the Eudora and Baldwin Historical Societies, and several churches, and quilt guilds.
Family Promise of Lawrence, Project Director Becky Peters, “Family Art Nights,” Award: $500
Family Promise serves the homeless population of Lawrence. This art project’s aim is to broaden this part of the Lawrence community’s exposure to the arts, especially children. Art Nights will offer a chance to try out mediums and techniques under the guidance of local Artist Lora Jost. The partnership also involves the Family Promise participating churches, which will provide space for the events.
Four Winds Native Center, Project Director Cameron Whitaker, “Indigenous Youth Dance Troupe,” Award: $1,700
A partnership between Four Winds and Haskel Indian Nations University’s Intertribal Club, this project seeks to research, organize, teach, and document traditional Native dances for children at the Four Winds Native Center building. The team will create guides to these native forms of art for teachers to use in their classrooms and make traditional dance regalia to take as part of a traveling exhibition and dance performances to Lawrence elementary schools.
Lawrence Busker Festival, Project Director Richard Renner, “2012 Lawrence Busker Festival,” Award: $2,000
The Lawrence Busker Festival is a creative collaboration with Downtown Lawrence, Inc., the Lawrence Arts Center, the Fiddling Championships, and local businesses. The goal is to make this annual festival a regional draw for audiences and an international draw for artists. In its fifth year, this event grew from an audience of 8,000 in 2012 to more than 15,000 in 2011, while downtown businesses reported a 20% increase in revenues during the 2011 event over 2010.
Van Go, Inc., Project Director Lynne Green, “JAMS Sumer Benchmark Session,” Award: $1,000
Now in its 12th year, the JAMS program engages apprentice artists in consulting with clients to design and develop a business plan for their bench. These youth spend 22 hours per week at the Van Go facility creating a personalized bench for their client, where they earn minimum wage with the opportunity for merit-based raises. In the process they gain essential job skills and professional experience through interactions with community members. The primary partner for this project is USD 497. Community partners include Bert Nash, Social and Rehabilitation Services, Douglas County Court Services, and Douglas County Housing Authority.
Questions regarding the Lawrence Community Arts Grant program should be directed to: Diane Stoddard, assistant city manager, at (785) 832-3413 or dstoddard@lawrence.ks.org.
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Prepared by: Shane Warta, (785) 832-3458
(Lawrence, Kan.) – Lawrence Parks and Recreation will host a Water Safety and Wellness Fair 1-3 p.m. Saturday, May 12, at the Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center, 4706 Overland Drive.
The fair is an opportunity to discover how to enjoy aquatic activities safely at home or other aquatic recreational facilities. A number of agencies will be present to provide resources and information in the promotion of water safety and wellness. Free swim evaluations will also be offered.
For more information about the Water Safety and Wellness Fair, please contact Rachel Sullivan, aquatics programmer, at (785) 832-7946.
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Prepared by: Roger Steinbrock, (785) 832-34583
(Lawrence, Kan.) – Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department’s Eagle Bend Golf Course and Learning Center is offering golf clinics for adults this spring.
An Introduction to Golf & Short Game is a two-hour clinic designed to introduce new golfers to the game of golf with beginners in mind and includes step-by-step instructions on the basic fundamentals, explained in simple terms. It also includes demonstrating of short game techniques such as putting and chipping that will improve skills around the greens.
The clinic will run 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, at Eagle Bend Golf Course, 1250 E. 902 Rd.
Full Swing & Improving Scores is a two-hour clinic for people interested in developing the proper technique of the golf swing. Instruction includes basic swing mechanics and involves full-swing shots with each club. It also includes the basics of scoring and understanding the strategies of golf.
This clinic will also be offered 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, May 9 and May 23, at Eagle Bend Golf Course.
The fee for each clinic session is $75.
Enrollment in golf lessons can be done through the department’s website, www.lprd.org, as part of its online registration program, or individuals can visit a Lawrence Parks and Recreation facility, including: the Community Building, 115 West 11th St.; East Lawrence Recreation Center, 1245 East 15th St.; Holcom Park Recreation Center, 2700 West 27th St.; Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center, 4706 Overland Drive; Prairie Park Nature Center, 2730 Harper St., South Park Recreation Center, 1141 Massachusetts St. or Eagle Bend Golf Course, 1250 East 902 Road.
For more information, please contact Eagle Bend Golf Course at (785) 748-0600.
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Contact: Megan Gilliland, communications manager, (785) 832-3406
(Lawrence, Kan.) - Infrastructure improvement projects for the week of May 7. NEW! Our construction projects listed are now available in a map format at http://lawks.us/construction-map.
Project: KDOT replacement of K-10/23rd Street Bridge between Haskell and Barker
Traffic Impact: EXPECT DELAYS! The westbound right lane of K-10/23rd Street from Haskell Avenue to Barker Avenue in Lawrence will be closed for the completion of storm sewer improvements and for the completion of shoofly pavement on the north side of the existing bridge. This work is scheduled to take approximately 2-3 weeks, so the westbound lane closure is scheduled to reopen in mid-May 2012, weather permitting.
Once the work on the westbound (north) side is complete, then the eastbound right lane on K-10/23rd Street from Haskell Avenue to Barker Avenue will be closed to complete the south shoofly. This work is scheduled to take approximately 2-3 weeks, so the eastbound lane closure is scheduled to reopen in mid- to late May 2012, weather permitting.
Upon completion of both shooflys on the north and south side of the bridge, K-10/23rd Street traffic will then be switched onto the shooflys and the existing bridge will be demolished. Bridge demolition work is tentatively scheduled for mid-May to early June 2012. We will send out notification under separate cover prior to the eastbound lane closure and the traffic switch to the shooflys.
Advance message boards will alert drivers to the lane closures. Drivers should expect major delays during peak travel times. Updated traffic information for the K-10/23rd Street bridge replacement project can be viewed online: www.ksdot.org/topekametro/laneclose.asp.
Project: Utility Department water main replacement
Traffic Impact: The City of Lawrence Utility Department will replace a water main on Valley Lane from University Drive to Rain Tree Place. No parking will be allowed in the area and the road will be closed to thru traffic (resident access will be allowed). The project is expected to be completed May 30.
Project: KDOT construction on Kansas River Bridge (northbound lane)
Traffic Impact: US-40/US-59 (Kansas River Bridge) EXPECT DELAYS! Northbound US-40/US-59 is reduced to one lane over the Kansas River bridge in Downtown Lawrence.
The overlay work on the northbound bridge is scheduled to be completed on Tuesday, May 1. Overall project work on the northbound bridge is scheduled to be completed in early June 2012, weather permitting.
Project: Sidewalk Replacement, Community Health Facility
Impact: The City of Lawrence will begin a sidewalk replacement project at the Community Health Facility, 200 Maine Street on May 7. The south entrance to the building will be the primary location for replacement; access to the building will be maintained at all times.
Project: 2012 Concrete Rehabilitation Program
Traffic Impact: Contractors for the City of Lawrence will begin Phase A of the concrete rehabilitation program on Monday, April 30, 2012. The first concrete streets to experience traffic impacts from patching include N 3rd St from Elm St to North St, Lincoln St and Perry St from N 2nd St to N 3rd St. Through traffic in both directions will be generally maintained throughout the project with flaggers, traffic control devices and signage. There is a possibility of street closures, if necessary. Residences and businesses will be notified if access to driveways will be restricted while work is performed. Please see the following link for mapped work locations for the entire street maintenance program for 2012: http://lawrenceks.org/public_works/files/2012_comprehensive_street_maintenance.pdf.
Project: 2012 Microsurfacing Program
Traffic Impact: Contractors for the City of Lawrence will continue to patch with later surface sealing as part of the microsurfacing program. Phase A locations will experience traffic impacts from microsurfacing that include Connecticut, 7th to 15th Street, and North 2nd to North 3rd to the city limits, and also Airport Road. Patching in Phase B locations, generally bound by Kasold Drive to Monterey Way and W. 6th Street to Harvard Road, will begin Monday, May 7. For patching and microsurfacing locations, through traffic in both directions will be generally maintained throughout the project with flaggers, traffic control devices, and signage. There is a possibility of street closures on residential streets only, if necessary. Please see the following link for mapped work locations for the entire street maintenance program for 2012: http://lawrenceks.org/public_works/files/2012_comprehensive_street_maintenance.pdf.
Project: 17th and Massachusetts sanitary sewer
Traffic Impact: Private contractors are installing a sanitary sewer as part of the Dillons grocery store reconstruction on Massachusetts between 17th and 19th Street. For safety of the construction crews, some areas have been reduced to one-lane in each direction. Crews have been replacing the sanitary sewer in the intersection of 17th and Massachusetts and will continue the project southward on Massachusetts. Approximately 800-feet of sewer will be replaced with the project. The eastern-most lane of Massachusetts Street, from 17th to the entry of the Dillons property, will be affected throughout the replacement and the lane will be opened as construction work moves south from the intersection.
Project: 6th Street turn-lane
Traffic Impact: Private contractors are in the process of extending the roadway on 6th Street, west of George Williams Way. One lane of westbound 6th Street, west of George Williams Way will be closed intermittently during construction, which is expected to last until the end of May.
Project: Levee trail detour for power plant expansion
Traffic Impact: A portion of the Kansas River levee trail has been closed for the construction of the Bowersock Mills & Power Co.’s new plant on the north bank of the Kansas River. A detour on the trail will take users from the trail to city streets crossing at the controlled intersection of 2nd and Locust Streets. Signage will be clearly posted marking the detour route to direct users throughout the detour. The city urges drivers and trail users to use caution when travelling through the intersection. The detour will run for the duration of the project, which is projected to last 20 months (starting April 2011). For more information, contact the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Administrative Office, at (785) 832-3450.
Project: Lawrence Municipal Airport sanitary sewer improvements
Traffic Impact: No impacts at this time, construction activities are currently on hold.
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