The Unveiling of the Final Design! (Wednesday, Week 5)

Five weeks of inspiration, ideation, and implementation of creative ideas all came together in the campers' final prototypes this Wednesday. Parents, professionals, community members and reporters gathered in Mount Vernon Park neighborhood to see the campers present their original designs, which the campers and counselors installed in two of the formerly empty lots in the neighborhood Wednesday morning. 

Moving the prototypes from the build headquarters at Bridge of Grace to the site!

The campers prepare to greet guests and present their designs to the community.

Around 30 people total showed up, and the campers were excited to see themselves in the newspaper the next day (check out articles from the Journal Gazette and News Sentinel!). Community members were able to walk around and experience the campers' design prototypes for themselves. These designs were the results of the site analyses that the campers conducted back in Week 1--identifying the needs and the assets of Mount Vernon Park neighborhood, and then designing creative solutions to those needs, or building on assets. The Tired-a-Lot crew wanted to build spaces that preserved the lovely nature of the neighborhood, but created a place where people of all ages could gather together. So, they designed and built interactive murals, planter boxes doubling as benches, and a clubhouse to be placed in two empty lots in Mount Vernon Park neighborhood. 

One of the two groups of campers present their interactive mural and clubhouse.

Community members (& Ms. Réna) enjoy the clubhouse!

After all the excitement and work of the first few days of this week, it was time for a day of relaxation. The campers enjoyed a pontoon boat ride down the river with "Dan, Dan the River Man," who spoke to them about preserving Fort Wayne's rivers. After a delicious lunch, we had the opportunity to tour Concordia Lutheran Seminary, a strikingly beautiful campus for its architecture. 

A pontoon boat ride down the river was just what this crazy week called for.

The campers experience the beautiful chapel at Concordia Seminary.

Touring the grounds at Concordia.

Tomorrow: Chicago!