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Waco approves plans for Fire Station No. 4 sculpture and STEAM Center murals
Summary
Creative Waco presented designs for an eight‑foot bronze 'bear' firefighter statue for Fire Station No. 4 and interior and exterior murals for the Bledsoe‑Miller STEAM Center; the sculpture budget is $75,000 and artists and augmented‑reality features for the murals were selected.
Creative Waco presented a set of public‑art projects to the Waco City Council work session on Nov. 4, proposing an eight‑foot bronze sculpture for Fire Station No. 4 and a series of interior and exterior murals for the Bledsoe‑Miller STEAM Center.
Fiona Bond, CEO of Creative Waco, described the proposed Fire Station No. 4 piece as an “8 foot bronze on a 4 foot base” intended to “honor the courage, service, and inclusive spirit of Waco firefighters,” and said the project budget is $75,000 with a $62,000 commission to the selected artist that covers fabrication, transportation and installation. Bond said fabrication is scheduled between November and July, with site preparation in August and installation targeted for August 2026 and an opening planned for September 2026.
Bond and Julie Cervantes, director of strategic development at Creative Waco, also reviewed designs for eight interior vinyl wrap panels that trace Waco’s history and scientific themes and three exterior murals tied to the STEAM Center’s educational mission. Cervantes said the interior work will use local designer Vincent Thomas of Vibrant Touch Studios; exterior murals by Alexandra Walker and Michelle Wilson will incorporate metallic paints and augmented‑reality features so viewers can trigger audio or animations from smartphones.
Council members praised the proposals and the community engagement process. Bond said firefighters were surveyed anonymously to guide the Station No. 4 sculpture’s imagery, and Cervantes noted a children’s design survey used for the STEAM exterior concepts. Creative Waco confirmed there will be in‑situ interpretive material and an online public‑art page accessible by QR code that documents each work and the artist’s intent.
No formal council vote on these items is recorded in the provided transcript; Creative Waco requested council consider the designs so staff can proceed to fabrication and installation planning.
What’s next: staff will bring final design approvals and any required contract actions back to council as fabrication schedules and site preparations advance.
