Thrifty Thurston – As West Bay Drive Construction Ends, Poems Emerge

west bay drive poems
The poems are written by local poet Lucia Perillo.
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By Kelli Samson

oly ortho logoAs a high school English teacher, my eyeballs are trained to notice words. That’s why I may have gasped a little when I noticed them appear as part of the sidewalk construction project while I creeped along in West Bay Drive traffic.

The City of Olympia has incorporated a literary art project into its sidewalk construction, and poetry fans have taken notice. It wasn’t long before members of my book club, students in my classes, and even my own young daughters began to ask me what the story was on those words.

I put on my best Lois Lane-esque glasses and started digging.

west bay art poems
Sidewalks now link West Olympia to downtown Olympia. Art adorns the retaining walls and paths.

Olympia has had plans in the works for some time now to link its west side to downtown via continuous, uninterrupted sidewalks, much like the sidewalk linking San Francisco Street to East Bay Drive and, thus, downtown. Like its easterly counterpart, this public works project has always included a plan for incorporating art. The project was overseen by Jim Rioux.

This is where Stephanie Johnson, the City’s Arts and Events manager for the last decade, comes in. Johnson, who, among many other things, is responsible for coordinating Arts Walk twice each year, oversaw the artistic phase of the sidewalk project.

“The sidewalks are part of the Parks and Pathways project,” states Johnson. Local artist Carolyn Law was commissioned for both the East and West Bay projects.

“She was very inspired by the people of Olympia and the stories that they tell of the places that they live,” explains Johnson.

“San Francisco Street’s project is called ‘Neighborly Notes.’ It takes in the fact that it’s very near a school and deals with the concept that there’s a neighborhood just within walking distance of a gorgeous, million dollar view. As people move down that sidewalk toward the corner, there are water-inspired elements to keep people going toward the bay. There are sitting rocks. The colors are more primary for the school, and there are visual elements that include books and things like that because Roosevelt Elementary is very clearly an integral part of that neighborhood.”

west bay drive poems
The poems are written by local poet Lucia Perillo.

The title of the West Bay sidewalk is ‘Walking on Land by Water.’

“It references the historic lumber mills that were all up and down West Bay Drive,” continues Johnson. “The form liners for the retaining walls echo the wood from these mills. They look like siding or machined wood. The poetry was installed on plywood panels so that there is some plywood texture in some of the areas.”

More history about the lumber mills can be found at both West Bay Park and Rotary Point.

A second component of the artistic portion of the sidewalk is sparkle crete, a type of cement that contains glitter and is meant to mimic the shimmer on the water.

Finally, celebrated local poet Lucia Perillo was asked to contribute some poetic phrases with which to adorn these concrete creations. Her words offer delight for those walking or driving by. Not only are these poems stamped into the retaining walls, they are also surprisingly located in the very sidewalk beneath one’s feet.

west bay drive poems
Haiku are Japanese poems that follow a strict syllabic pattern and are traditionally about nature.

Perillo’s words are inspired by Japanese haiku, specifically those by Issa, and the fact that she dwells just above the project. “She is very aware of the flora, fauna, insects, and birds of the area,” says Johnson. “We’re really fortunate to have her in our community.”

Traditional haiku are three-line poems that revolve around the theme of nature. The first and last lines are five syllables long, with the middle line being seven syllables.

Perillo’s words invoke images of our Puget Sound location. She refers to our wildlife with, “Herons build nests without thinking about Eagles,” and acknowledges our weather with the lines, “A stone has no choice but accept the rain,” and “Ducks just trust the fog they fly into.”

What’s next for Walking on Land by Water?

The City of Olympia is working on a stain for the retaining walls to further enhance their wood texture. This phase of the project will have to wait for a good space of sunny weather.

west bay drive poems
A path has recently been added, connecting Woodard Drive off of Rogers Street in West Olympia to West Bay Drive.

Meanwhile, take a little time to stroll along West Bay Drive and appreciate what a thoughtful art installment these sidewalks truly are. They marry practicality and aesthetic in a way by which this English teacher approves.

Thrifty Thurston highlights inexpensive family fun in Thurston County. The weekly series focuses on family-friendly activities throughout our community. If you have a suggestion for a post, send us a note at submit@thurstontalk.com. For more events and to learn what’s happening in Olympia and the surrounding area, click here.

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