Pueblo seeking mural artists to help beautify Superfund neighborhoods

Artists have until 5 p.m. Friday to submit bids to paint two murals in Pueblo's Bessemer, Eiler’s Heights/Bojon Town and Grove on the path of the History and Art Walk, an itinerary for pedestrians designed to showcase the three Superfund neighborhoods.

"We want to partner with artists to help revitalize these neighborhoods," said Darena Herschler, health promotions specialist at the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment, which is overseeing the project through its Community Organizing for Neighborhood Improvement program.

The location for one of the murals has already been agreed to with a local business. "It will go on ABC Plumbing down in the Grove," said Herschler.

"We are still working with the community to figure out a location for the second mural," she said.

More:Mural artist puts finishing touches on latest painting in Pueblo

Artists who want to see their work on display and accessible to all in Pueblo can submit more than one bid, and do not have to be local to the city. Applications are available at county.pueblo.org/public-health/CSRP. 

Each bid must include a detailed proposal for the mural — either a drawing, sketch, or computer graphic depicting the proposed artwork, along with the estimated size of the mural and what materials would be used to create it. 

There's no set theme but the murals must be "appropriate and family friendly," Herschler said.

The winning bids will get $2,500 for each mural. They will have to produce the mural, based on their design submission, and maintain it for at least two years, mainly keeping it free of graffiti and touching it up, Herschler said.

More:Pueblo's south side and Colorado Smelter superfund site set for rebirth

The Pueblo History and Art Walk was created to acknowledge the history of the Bessemer, Eiler’s Heights/Bojon Town, and Grove neighborhoods, while adding new amenities, infrastructure and art to the area.

The itinerary starts and ends at the Pueblo Riverwalk, and consists of three loops through the three neighborhoods, which sit in a part of Pueblo that was once home to an ore smelter. 

The smelter ceased operations more than a century ago and the building was torn down in 1923, leaving behind a huge slag pile and dangerous levels of toxins in the surrounding areas.

When the Environmental Protection Agency came to Pueblo in 2014 to start testing the area around the former smelter for environmental contamination, residents were asked what they wanted their neighborhoods to look like once the cleanup was completed. 

That started a project to revitalize and beautify the World War II-era neighborhoods while preserving their unique history and creating a safe and pleasant space for community members, including cycling and walking paths, and art installations.

Karin Zeitvogel can be contacted by email at kzeitvogel@chieftain.com