MANCHESTER, N.H. – A mural intended for Sheehan-Basquil Park that had been stopped by the city following negative comments about it on social media will return, following a decision on the matter by the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Tuesday night.
The mural, part of an initiative led by Positive Street Art and MYTURN dubbed “Thoughts Projected” brought together youth and adults from vulnerable populations, with an unveiling scheduled for Aug. 16. However, according to the city’s Public Works department, the project did not receive the proper approvals from the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s Committee on Lands and Buildings to create a mural in a city park.
Project organizer Yasamin Safarzadeh told the board that the project has been ongoing each summer for the past five years. This was the first year it had not received financial support before it was stopped, with Safarzadeh telling the board during public comment Tuesday that concerns over the mural’s “ugliness” led the city to shut them down, something she learned about at 5 p.m. on Monday.
Safarzadeh noted that the building, the ball field dugout, that would hold the mural is set to be demolished anyway, and it could be painted over at a later date – she asked only for the youth and disabled adults to have another chance to complete their project.
Near the end of the meeting, Ward 4 Alderwoman Christine Fajardo and Ward 5 Alderman Tony Sapienza re-opened the matter, as the board requested further information from Manchester Department of Public Works Director Tim Clougherty.
Fajardo asked Clougherty if more clarity could be brought to the process in approving murals moving forward, although Clougherty demurred citing the subjectivity of opinions on artwork.
Sapienza expressed frustration with the impact of the negativity toward the project.
“I’d rather not be intimidated by social media. That project was moving forward and the social media yappers stopped it,” he said.
While Alderman At-Large Joseph Levasseur felt that the issue should go on the agenda for the board’s next meeting so the mural could be properly reviewed, Sapienza noted that given the Aug. 16 unveiling event, the board’s next meeting on Sept. 2 would be too late.
Safarzadeh praised Fajardo and Sapienza as well as Ward 5 Board of School Committee Member Jason Bonilla for their assistance.
“Changing the tide was incredible,” she said.