From the free-form benches carved from 100-year-old white oak to the engraved text on each of the weathered steel panels, the pavilion at Lake Como Park begs to be seen and touched. Part of the city’s Public Art program, the installation offers a place to sit and gaze at the lake. It also honors the neighborhood’s past and present. The team of David Dahlquist and Matt Niebuhr, from Iowa-based RDG Public Art Studio, note that their work is influenced by many different elements with the result aimed at being a welcoming and moving experience for the visitor. Do Something Good For Your Neighbor does exactly that. It honors William H. Wilburn Sr., park founder and editor of the Lake Como Weekly, as well as Amon G. Carter Sr., who gifted the land for the park in 1952. The text featured on the panels is excerpted from stories in the Weekly and other historic documents; the name of the piece is taken from the newspaper’s masthead. Depending on the time of day and the light, the words become more prominent. The steel will continue to weather; the wood in the benches will continue to harden. And the inspirational message to “do good” will be a mantra for people today and for future generations.
Photo by Ralph Lauer