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‘Watercolor in the sky’

Suwanee City Hall will never look the same. Over the last weekend of February, installation of a suspended sculpture that represents Suwanee’s commitment to public art was completed in the building’s spacious foyer.

The suspended sculpture, entitled Shimmering Echoes, was created by Seattle-based artist Koryn Rolstad, who has designed environmental public art installed in a multitude of locations around the world. Mounted in two areas, the cascading sculpture includes 12 groupings suspended from railroad-inspired aluminum track frames; 1,900 elliptical-shaped eco-resin elements in shades from translucent white and rose tones to yellow, green, and aqua as well as a reflective holographic radiant; and about a mile of 1/32-inch stainless steel cable – all held together with some 4,000 clips and another 4,000 washers. Altogether, the sculpture weighs in at 240 pounds (120 pounds per grouping).

Rolstad describes Shimmering Echoes as “a watercolor in the sky.”

The City of Suwanee will host a dedication of Shimmering Echoes at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 25. Artist Koryn Rolstad and Tad Leithead, chairman of the Atlanta Regional Commission, will be guest speakers at the event, which is free and open to the public. More information.

Get It in the Gateway

There are many great reasons (more than 300 of them in the form of restaurants, shops, and other businesses) to visit the Suwanee Gateway, an approximately four-square-mile commercial area surrounding I-85’s Exit 111. The City of Suwanee and Gateway merchants are now offering the best reason yet: You could win FREE stuff!

The City of Suwanee is coordinating a Get It in the Gateway campaign March 22-27 through which participants may win daily prizes and register for a grand prize package valued at more than $1,000.

Clues to participating businesses will be posted daily on the City of Suwanee’s Facebook page and via this website March 22-27. The clues will direct those taking part to the day’s featured businesses where they can register for daily prizes, which range from a Vera Bradley bag to restaurant gift cards to salon services. Everyone who registers for daily prizes will be included in the grand prize drawing, which will take place Monday, March 29.

The Get in the Gateway grand prize package includes:

• Chipper Jones hand-signed baseball and signed photograph from 10th Inning Baseball Academy
• Grill Dome grill provided by EMC Security
• wireless printer from Office Depot
• one night stay at any Fairfield Inn property in the United States
• Wild Wing Café gift certificate.

Suwanee’s finest are state certified

The Suwanee Police Department serves and protects its more than 16,500 citizens in a professional and ethical manner that once again has met state standards set by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. 

Suwanee’s police department was assessed against 118 state standards in December. The assessment team unanimously offered its “highest recommendation” that Suwanee’s state certification be renewed.  The team found Suwanee police officers to be “deeply committed” to the principles of community policing,” according to its final report.

“One item that greatly impressed the assessment team was the atmosphere of professionalism, ethics, and integrity,” the report states. “On the back of every sworn officer’s badge is the inscription ‘Professional, Ethical, and Knowledgeable….’ We determined that these are more than just words; they are the officers’ and agency’s way of life.”

Certification through the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police (GACP) represents a significant professional achievement and acknowledges implementation of policies and procedures that are conceptually sound and operationally effective. Suwanee is one of 94 agencies throughout the state, out of about 700 that are eligible, to earn GACP certification.

The Suwanee Police Department initially earned state certification in 2000.

Taking community celebration to an art level

Arts in all their wonderful, various forms – 2D, 3D, and performance art – will be celebrated during Suwanee’s Arts in the Park event, beginning at noon Saturday, May 22.

With a theme of “The Art of Making Art,” the event offers artists a unique opportunity to educate the public about various art forms. Artists are encouraged to demonstrate and/or educate festival attendees about their art. Best of Show cash prizes will be offered based on originality, presentation, and display of goods as well as interaction with attendees, craftsmanship, and skill. Applications are due by April 15.

The festival also will include live entertainment and a chalk-walk art competition. Chalk artists in four different age divisions, from Pre-K to adults, are invited to put their creative genius to work in designated sidewalk areas for their chance to win cash prizes. Applications for the inaugural chalk-walk art competition are due before May 15.

Twenty ‘rings’ and counting

The City of Suwanee has earned designation as a national Tree City USA for the 20th year, one of only 33 communities statewide to earn such recognition.

Recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to urban forestry, Suwanee has met four standards in order to become a Tree City USA community: The City has a tree board, tree-care ordinance, comprehensive community forestry program, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

This year, Suwanee will celebrate Arbor Day in April by planting orchard trees at the new Harvest Farm at White Street Park.