Morrisville council narrows ICON public-art sites, prioritizes greenway intersections

Morrisville’s council moved to focus the town’s first round of ICON public-art butterfly installations on locations adjacent to the town’s greenway network, saying they want the icons to function as “treasures to find” rather than cluster near existing murals.

Brittney Johnson, the town’s planning manager, told the council that Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources advisors had prioritized five sites and an alternate and recommended the council select final locations tonight. Council members repeatedly urged placing icons where multiple trails converge, noting the advantage for pedestrian visibility and spread of art across Morrisville rather than clustering at existing mural sites such as the Morrisville Aquatics and Fitness Center (MAFC). “Having an icon at the greenway intersection gives a sense of place and it’s an unexpected surprise,” one council member said, urging the council to pick three sites now and revisit others later.

Council preferences coalesced around Morrisville Community Park (with an identified greenway intersection), Cedar Fork District Park (or the adjacent greenway intersection), and the Indian Creek Trailhead; Northwest Park was identified as the runner-up. Staff said they would return with additional least-prominent locations to complement these selections and confirm any site-specific constraints. Johnson also reminded the council that multiple factors were considered in site prioritization, including existing lighting and hardscape, visibility, and pedestrian access.