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Artist and family seek committee review of skate-park mural memorializing a local fentanyl death
Summary
At the Feb. 12 Parks, Recreation and Forestry Committee meeting, family members and an artist updated the committee on a proposed mural at the Brane Park skate park intended as a memorial about fentanyl deaths. Committee members asked for a conceptual sketch before further work proceeds; no formal action was taken.
Family members and the artist behind a proposed skate-park mural described the work’s intent to the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Committee on Feb. 12 and were asked to supply a conceptual sketch for the committee to review.
Tommy, identified at the meeting as the artist and a Marshfield resident, said the mural is intended to show “a story of a normal kid,” and that the work is designed to prompt conversation about fentanyl deaths. “I lost my son during this,” Tommy said. “My son grew up going to this skate park his whole life… and he literally made a bad decision one day and now can never take it back. That’s the point of having it there.”
Tommy said an out-of-state artist friend began work on the mural but weather prevented completion; he said he and his family want city approval and are willing to modify the art to meet committee preferences. Committee members stressed the department’s usual process: a conceptual sketch or image should be submitted for staff and committee review before additional work.
Committee chair John said no action was needed at the Feb. 12 meeting and asked staff to place a conceptual sketch on a future agenda when one is available. Several committee members suggested the memorial message should be clear but asked the artist to avoid treatments that would be perceived as overly literal or that would invite conflict over adding names; committee members suggested discussing options for how names or memorial elements would be handled.
No permit, design approval or timeline was set at the meeting. Tommy said family members were willing to meet the committee’s review process and to provide a concept for the committee’s next meeting.
