Bee Branch Banner Reveal Party This Saturday, June 8

DUBUQUE, Iowa – The public is invited to attend the Bee Branch Banner Reveal Party on Saturday, June 8, from 10-11:30 a.m. The event will be held on E. 16^th St. between Elm St. and the railroad tracks. There will be a short program at 10:15 a.m. during which a 62-foot-long section of the banners will be unveiled. The City will also gather input from the community about the type of programming they'd like to see in the future outdoor recreational space along the Lower Bee Branch Creek. Complimentary refreshments will be provided.
 
During the summer of 2018, artwork was gathered from over 150 residents, mostly youth, to be displayed on temporary vinyl banners being hung on the existing fence around the former scrap yard at 16^th and Elm streets. Artwork was collected from the Dream Center, the Multicultural Family Center, Little Luxuries, the Fountain of Youth Program, the City’s Neighborhood Recreation Programs, at last year’s Juneteenth Celebration, and at other community events.
 
Participants drew self-portraits, their favorite things, and their favorite places. After the artwork was gathered, it was converted into digital art and laid out as a collage. Over 8 feet tall and 400 feet long, the result is a large and colorful celebration of Dubuque.
 
In order to maintain the mile-long Bee Branch Creek Greenway and ensure it functions as designed, a maintenance facility is planned at the former scrap yard. The property is currently contaminated with hazardous substances which make it unsuitable for redevelopment without remediation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded the City of Dubuque three grants through its Brownfields program to clean up the site.  
 
As part of the grant requirements, the City is required to complete outreach initiatives including community engagement, partnerships with community organizations, and signage at the site directing residents to sources of project information. For more information about the Bee Branch maintenance facility and the Brownfields Cleanup process, visit www.cityofdubuque.org/beebranchbrownfieldscleanup.

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