‘Banner Up’ at Shore Arts Center

New banners, developed to highlight a brand for Historic Downtown Lamar, were presented during a public showing at the Shore Arts Center this past Friday evening, November 9.

Participants enjoyed some refreshments and a slide show display of Main Street Programs

Hosted by Lamar Partnership Incorporated, Executive Director, Shawna Hodge, explained that the logo represents a stylized windmill which will be displayed on four differently colored banners.  The banners will be hung from the newly painted light poles along portions of Main Street in downtown Lamar.  Twenty-eight poles between the railroad tracks and Oak Street will be initially painted, along with sidewalk benches, flower pots and trash receptacles.  The color is described as ‘historic red’.  The paint has been supplied at cost to the city by C. F. Meier Composites and the physical labor is being supplied by work crews from the City of Lamar.

Pat Palmer, local history enthusiast, discusses events

Hodge added that the colored poles have been successfully used in other cities along their thoroughfares as a means of identifying main street retail sectors to passing motorists.  The logo, she explained, will indicate a respect for the past while conveying a fresh future for the economic community.

City Administrator John Sutherland surveys the posters with Rose Ann Yates from the Southeast Colorado Arts Guild

The pole painting project has been completed in place, but the benches and trash containers will need to be taken in for some minor repairs and the painting project.  It’s hoped they can be finished by the end of the year.  An analysis of the historic buildings in Lamar will be presented to the public his Wednesday evening, November 14, beginning at 6pm at the Lamar Cultural Events Center.  The public is encouraged to attend.

By Russ Baldwin