Neighborhood unveils deer sculptures at 5 Mile Prairie roundabout

Former Spokane City Councilwoman Candice Mumm announced the unveiling of sculptures depicting a family of three deer at the 5 Mile Prairie roundabout on the Spokane city limits, saying the installation was funded by a state grant and coordinated with Spokane City Council Neighborhood Services and the 5 Mile Prairie Neighborhood Council.

Mumm said the roundabout sits “at the city limits, where the city of Spokane meets the county of Spokane,” and described the project as a neighborhood effort to create a focal point for the prairie. “And we have unveiled a beautiful set of sculptures which depict a family of 3 deer,” she said.

Why it matters: Mumm framed the work as both a traffic focal point and a community landmark that honors long-standing local and Indigenous presence. She noted the 5 Mile Neighborhood Council envisioned the roundabout more than a decade ago and secured state grant funding to support the artwork. The city-level Neighborhood Services office worked with the neighborhood council on the project, Mumm said.

Details: Mumm said the roundabout is a place “where neighbors have gathered for over a century, and Native Americans have been here since time immemorial.” An unnamed resident who spoke at the site described the installation as meaningful, saying, “It’s probably the most meaningful thing and probably why I I feel okay with doing this kind of stuff because it, lets people know that we’re still here and it, like, honors our ancestors and all the the extremely hard work that that they’ve done and things they went through and just trying to honor that best I can.”

Mumm emphasized the neighborhood-council model as a vehicle for local projects: “This project was a joint effort with the Spokane City Council Neighborhood Services and the 5 Mile Prairie Neighborhood Council. It is 1 of more than 20 neighborhood councils throughout the city,” she said, and encouraged residents to participate: “So please do get involved with your neighborhood councils. It’s a great place to meet people and do great projects for your community.”

Funding details and timeline: Mumm said the neighborhood “won a grant from the state to have art built in the roundabout,” but she did not specify the grant amount or the project’s construction timeline.

Context and next steps: The remarks tie the artwork to ongoing neighborhood organizing and city-supported neighborhood services. Mumm urged community involvement in neighborhood councils as the primary means for similar local projects; no formal city vote or ordinance was reported in the remarks.