Arts Council presses for a vision plan and possible 1% funding for the Greta Hackett Sculpture Garden

The Mercer Island Arts Council on July 15 pressed staff to prepare a specific visioning and community-engagement plan for the Greta Hackett Sculpture Garden, with multiple councilors urging use of the city’s Art in Public Places 1% funds to pay for professional scoping and outreach.

Katie Herzog, interim recreation manager and staff liaison, told the council that the Art in Public Places program will return with an annual update in October and that any use of 1% funds for Greta Hackett would require City Council approval. Herzog said staff will present objectives and timelines in the next biennial update rather than bring a fully scoped construction plan this month.

Anne Ritze, who identified herself as a Mercer Island resident and president of the Mercer Island Visual Arts League, urged the council to “solicit additional artists to install new pieces in your sculpture park” and asked whether insurance proceeds had been used to replace a sculpture stolen a few years ago. Ritze also asked that temporary and permanent signage be prioritized so visitors arriving by light rail can discover the garden.

Several councilors pushed for a more visionary approach than incremental changes. One councilor argued the garden could include plazas, lighting, plug-ins, and water features to better welcome visitors and create a destination near the light-rail station, and suggested using the 1% funds to support consultant-led community engagement and a landscape-architect vision plan. Another councilor requested a subcommittee to facilitate public engagement and report back, while additional members favored staff-led objectives and a clear checklist (visibility, timeline, cost) in the 6‑year public-places work plan.

Herzog said some temporary measures (for example, temporary signage) may be feasible sooner, but the capital improvements and Art in Public Places teams must bring forward any consultant requests and budget proposals. She reiterated that the 1% fund “can certainly be used for Greta Hackett if that’s what we recommend and City Council approves it,” and that staff will return with more detail on feasibility and timing in the coming months.

The council did not vote on funding or form a subcommittee at this meeting; members asked staff to return in October with the Art in Public Places update and clearer objectives the Arts Council can endorse.