Sunset Park "pARTy" This Saturday

It's been over four years since Sunset Elementary closed its doors. Now, with a City of Shoreline Neighborhood Mini-Grant in hand, the Richmond Highlands Neighborhood Association and the Friends of Sunset Park have teamed up to host the "pARTy at Sunset" community celebration on September 17.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., attendees will have the chance to work on one of three art projects, under the guidance of local artist Mona Fairbanks: painting a mural of the view at Sunset, if the building were not there; handprinting animals and insects on the pillars of the covered play structure; or painting native birds on plywood, to be mounted and hung on the fence around the play area. The projects come after years of planning what to do with the former school site.

"After we went through community meetings and came up with a beautiful plan for an eventual park on this site, things kind of seemed to go silent for people. We were looking for grants for building demolition and working with the City on grants for field and trail improvements," said Lisa Surowiec, of the Friends of Sunset Park. "But, it didn't look like anything was happening. The Pomegranate Center, with whom we worked for the community meetings, encourages, 'early success projects,' and we just hadn't found one yet. Then we found this website (http://www.streetfilms.org/ps-67-paints-the-pavement-in-brooklyn/) and decided that since art played such a huge role at Sunset when it was a school, a painting party made sense."

In addition to the art projects, lunch will be served, and the Shorewood Drill Team will be hosting a bake sale. Field activities after the day's soccer games are also planned.

"The end results should be a much cheerier and functional gathering space for our friends and neighbors." said Surowiec.