Oracle Online

Local resident Molly Cave explained that one of her neighbors, Andrea Erickson, came across an article about street painting in Portland, Ore. Erickson then proposed it to the rest of the neighbors at a community potluck. Cave said it was a good way to get people together.

“It’s about taking a space and making it a place,” she said.

Before painting could begin, all four corner-houses and 80 percent of the two streets near it had to give permission in writing.

Paint the Pavement is connected to the Hamline Midway Coalition. The Coalition, located at Snelling and Lafond Avenue, was started to improve the Midway community and enhance neighborhood leadership, according to its website.

In addition to street paintings, neighbors have placed platforms in their yards with chairs, pumpkins, magnetic poetry and candles. This is part of Paint the Pavement’s goal to “increase communication between neighbors” as illustrated in their online flier.

The painting at Pascal Street and Van Buren Avenue is done completely with street paint bought with money donated by neighbors. Cave said that the painting on Englewood Avenue and Syndicate Street will be bulldozed during road construction in the near future. For that reason, the painting was done mostly in house paint that the neighbors could gather themselves.

“We used what we could,” Cave said. She also said that they want to do it again once the new street is paved and show the city that they are committed to this idea.

Paint the Pavement is committed to spreading the idea of making “a place of a space” throughout Minnesota. Their informational meeting will take place at the Hamline Midway Coalition on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. They offer their help to anyone looking to paint their own pavement at their website at www.paintthepavement.org.