ABOVE: Al Hurney, a local artist and board member of Imagine Martin, paints a fish on Downtown Plaza in Fairmont on Thursday afternoon as part of a partnership with the city of Fairmont to encourage residents and visitors alike to keep the city and lakes clean.

FAIRMONT– In an effort to increase awareness on the importance of keeping the city–and lakes– clean, the city of Fairmont is launching a public art project with the help of local arts non-profit, Imagine Martin. The art installations will send the message, “the lake starts here.”

Hannah Neusch, a water resource technician with the city, said that a project like this has been on her mind since she started her position over two years ago.

“I thought it would be interesting to do something that was a combined project. I really like partnership projects, especially if it’s a local partner,” Neusch explained.

She also liked the idea of a city beautification project that tied in a message about water quality, which is exactly what this project entails.

Neusch spoke with the person who helps with the city’s source water protection grants, who felt like the project would be a great application, which helped get everything in motion.

The city was awarded an $8,000 source water protection grant. Fairmont was in the pool specifically for the grant because it draws drinking water from surface water, which few cities in the state do.

“There are certain criteria we have to meet through our permitting process for stormwater protection and such to protect that water. Some of the criteria will be met through this arts education piece. It worked out really well,” Neusch said.

With the grant money, the city hired Imagine Martin and its local artists to do the art pieces, which will be in a variety of places throughout the city including on sidewalks, crosswalks, stairways, boat ramps and other places.

The pieces will vary depending on the artist’s style, but they will all be in the theme of “the lake starts here.”

“It’s to remind people that even what you’re doing in the street outside of your favorite shop, the trash you throw on the ground or even if you’re in your own driveway throwing salt down, that they remember this is going to the lake,” Neusch said.

She pointed out that there is very little treatment between the storm drains and the lakes.

“Most of it is essentially untreated when it goes into the lake,” Neusch said.

On Sept. 12, during the Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce’s Sip n Shop event, the first live art installation took place near The Spot on 3rd on Downtown Plaza. Neusch said it served as a teaser for what’s to come.

“It hopefully got people excited about what we’re doing and will shine a light on what’s going on. Hopefully next summer we’ll scale it up to an event,” Neusch said.

The first installation was done by local artist and Imagine Martin board member, Al Hurney.

She said that when Imagine Martin was approached about doing an educational art project like this, she was immediately interested as she had friends in Sioux Falls who had done something similar there.

“I thought it would be fun. It has a good message behind it– to keep our waters clean,” Hurney said.

Hurney said the paint she used is acrylic though she put a concrete sealant on top, which is also what’s on the hog statues that Imagine Martin it responsible for.

As for future pieces, Hurney said Imagine Martin plans to put out a call to local artists who can then submit their ideas, which can be abstract or simply words, as long as it’s water related and fits the theme.

“We want them to be eye catching and hopefully a conversation starter,” Hurney said.

Neusch said of the project, “I really hope people are interested in this and on the lookout for more next year.”