Emmaus Arts Commission seeks council sign-off for pool snack‑stand mural; design sent to CRD

The Emmaus Arts Commission asked borough council on April 21 to approve a mural design for the snack stand at the municipal pool and was told the design will first be reviewed by the Community Relations & Development committee.

Taylor Royak, identifying herself as a member of the Emmaus Arts Commission, presented three color options for a volunteer-painted mural oriented around waves for the pool and sun rays across the building. "I'm from the Emmaus Arts Commission," Royak said; she told council that the project would be executed as a paint-by-numbers community event and that "we are going to be using leftover paint, from the the fire hydrant project for this." She said volunteers would fill in larger color blocks and that Public Works would prep the building.

Council members and staff focused on process and timing. Council assigned the project to CRD for committee review and asked that Royak attend both the CRD meeting and the Parks & Recreation meeting. Council also requested that the pool manager, Tiffany Reed, be consulted before the committee makes a recommendation. Councilmember Kate Watts was named as the CRD contact who will place the item on the next CRD agenda.

Royak said the commission hopes to complete painting "early June" before the pool opens for the season and estimated the work would take "a couple days at most." She cautioned that exact colors may change because the group plans to use leftover paint stocks and will inventory available colors before finalizing the palette.

Staff and council clarified operational support and maintenance. Royak said she expects Public Works to power‑wash and prep the exterior; when asked about longevity and maintenance she said she did not know how long touch‑ups would be required and that past murals had not been touched up in the commission's experience. Council suggested the CRD review should include answers about paint inventory, responsibility for power washing and a maintenance plan.

Councilmembers also noted that renderings of the design were submitted in May 2024 and that some committee-level review may already have occurred; Royak acknowledged uncertainty about what prior steps had been completed and said she would search earlier emails. The CRD committee is scheduled to meet May 6; council said it will consider any CRD recommendation at the May 19 borough council meeting.

The referral to CRD and the request to consult the pool manager were procedural directions; no formal council approval of the mural design was recorded at the April 21 meeting.