Milton to unveil public art installation in Mill Park Sept. 17
Three pieces by local artist Roy Fitzgerald will be placed in Mill Park in Milton as part of an effort to encourage more public art installations.
The pieces will be unveiled at an event scheduled for 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 17, in Mill Park, across from Wagamons Pond.
Fitzgerald is loaning the pieces – “Gift of Hope,” “Gateway” and “Maori Bloom” – for six weeks. Displaying public art was an initiative of the town’s economic development committee, chaired by Councilwoman Annette Babich, to draw more visitors and businesses to downtown Milton. The committee formed and held its first meeting in May, with public art displays one of the first items discussed.
“We are so happy we were able to get this off the ground quickly,” Babich said.
Fitzgerald, who lives in Lewes, learned wood sculpture after he retired from a career working for Crozer-Chester Medical Center near Philadelphia, and as an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Thomas Jefferson University. He took up wood carving after his wife gave him a carving chainsaw.
The Sept. 17 event will include remarks from Mayor John Collier and Fitzgerald, who is expected to attend. Artists from the Milton Arts Guild will also be on hand providing demonstrations and activities for children. Musical entertainment will be provided by Jeff Evans, and the Milton Garden Club will be selling tickets to the annual garden tour Sunday, Sept. 18.
Another committee initiative in the works is “art crosswalks,” in which 12 crosswalks will be given a colorful makeover to slow traffic. The town received a $12,000 grant from Delaware AARP for the project. The locations of the crosswalks have not yet been unveiled.
