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Design the next Main Street bike rack by Thursday
Main Street Program hosts second bike rack design contest
old bike rack
The first three decorative Main Street bike racks, including these two, were unveiled on the 2013 National Bike to Work Day May 17. - photo by Photo by Michael Prestegard

Art as bike racks? Bike racks as art?

The Platteville Main Street Sustainability Committee is hosting its second artistic bike rack design competition.

This competition aims to increase creative placemaking efforts in the Platteville Main Street district. According to the National Endowment for the Arts, creative placemaking “animates public and private spaces, rejuvenates structures and streetscapes, improves local business viability and public safety, and brings diverse people together to celebrate, inspire, and be inspired.”

“The functional art bike racks on Main Street are an interesting and fun addition to the downtown,” said Jessica Paulson, Branch Manager of the Livingston State Bank Platteville office. “I am not a biker but these art pieces add positive energy to the Community Experience in Downtown Platteville.”

Not only will these bike racks add an additional flair to the Main Street district, they will increase available bike parking on Main Street, helping to achieve goals developed in the 2010 Platteville Downtown Revitalization Plan.

“This bike competition is a wonderful asset for Platteville,” said Tim Ingram, owner of Momentum Bikes on Main Street. “We get to provide a fun creative event that allows us to offer something to improve the livelihood of the downtown area while adding some art to Main Street.”

The Platteville Main Street Sustainability Committee is seeking creative placemaking design proposals for functional public art bike racks to enhance the Main Street district area and improve bike and pedestrian friendliness in downtown Platteville. The artistic bike racks will be located at highly visible areas on or near Main Street.

There is a total award of $750 ($500 prize and $250 for materials and bike rack fabrication).

The selected artists and/or artist teams will receive $250 for materials and fabrication and $500 upon completion of the rack. Awarded proposals will be responsible for the fabrication of the final product. Proposals are due Jan. 30.

This competition is funded by a grant from the Platteville Community Fund and City of Platteville through the Community Safe Routes Committee.

For more information about this competition, see www.plattevillemainstreet.com or email plattevillebikecontest@gmail.com .