As a sidelight to the event, take a walk just east of the park and tour the three-block mural painted in 2017 by artists Nik Vik and the late Nate Chavez. (The hat, below, is Vik’s tribute to his friend, who died in 2017.) They founded The Remains art gallery four years ago on Industrial, in the Union Building just below Cannery Square Park. The Remains holds its grand re-opening event and exhibit on Friday in its new location, 13 Oak St.
The community is invited Friday to an Arbor Day Celebration at Cannery Square Park, Columbia and Fourth streets, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Payton Kincaid and the Hood River Tree Committee are coordinating the transformation of the pocket park by removing the existing invasive species and replanting native trees and shrubs.
“Come down and celebrate this revitalized community space,” said. “There will be dance performances, chalk art and music.” Kincaid, a Hood River Valley High School junior, has adopted the park for her junior-year Extended Application project.
Information on planting and pruning trees, and information on general plants, will be available at the event, and committee members will be on hand to answer questions.
Each year the Tree Committee sponsors a tree planting event. Last year was the planting on Rand Road of 12 trees which also had a Hood River Student (Matthew Tichenor) use the project as an EA project.
“Their help has been extremely important and it has been fun to get students involved,” said Tree Committee member Jacquie Barone.
Columbia Gorge Dance Academy dancers will be there to perform and chalk will be provided for chalk art. The theme for the art will be trees.
The event is to promote trees and community and how important it is to plant trees in our city, Barone noted.
“This location was chosen as it has become a very popular area for people to sit and enjoy and also a very busy walking area for people working on Industrial, who may walk up to the main area of downtown for lunch and other errands, and also for the many people walking the Community Art walk to see sculptures down at the Union Building and admire the amazing mural wall,” Barone said. (See sidebar.)
As a sidelight to the event, take a walk just east of the park and tour the three-block mural painted in 2017 by artists Nik Vik and the late Nate Chavez. (The hat, below, is Vik’s tribute to his friend, who died in 2017.) They founded The Remains art gallery four years ago on Industrial, in the Union Building just below Cannery Square Park. The Remains holds its grand re-opening event and exhibit on Friday in its new location, 13 Oak St.
Barone and her husband, Pasquale, are redeveloping the adjacent Union Building, already home to several businesses and condos, with more residential and commercial spaces to come, including a historical display.
The park is named for the Union Building’s original use as a fruit storage and shipping facility.
One large tree will be planted in the slope, to create shade, and a smaller street tree will be planted in the sidewalk planter.
Native shrubs and perennials will be planted in the sloped area for soil/slope retention and native wildlife habitat, as well as aesthetics.
Donations were provided by: Double Mountain, Columbia Gorge Title, Kass Bergstrom, Susan Hess and Heather Kincaid.
Kincaid expressed thanks to Kass Bergstrom and Barone as her EA mentors on the project.
Cannery Square Park was created in 1991 as part of the downtown Urban Renewal Project. It features plantings, benches, and stairs connecting Columbia to Industrial Way.
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