City and community leaders in Dayton on Friday, Jan. 5, celebrated the recent unveiling of a dynamic new art installation featuring a herd of wild horses, designed to add an uplifting aesthetic to the town’s SH 321 railroad underpass. The silhouetted metal horse figures were installed late last year.
At a ribbon cutting ceremony organized with the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, members of the Dayton Enhancement Committee – the all-volunteer group behind the art installation, explained how the project came to fruition and why the symbol of a horse has such meaning in Dayton.
“Horses are symbols of freedom, endurance, spirit, determination and courage. We are [Dayton] Broncos. Some of us even bleed purple,” said Dayton Enhancement Committee Chair Susan Simmons, a reference to the mascot for Dayton ISD and the school colors.
In her comments, Simmons thanked two former Dayton mayors – Jeff Lambright and Caroline Wadzeck – for their support over the years, the donors who made the recent DEC project feasible, and the committee for continuing to push for projects that are meant to uplift and enhance the city. She specifically thanked Kimmy Wood, calling him an honorary member of the DEC, for creating the wild horse display and its accompanying stars that highlight donors.
Addressing the small crowd gathered for the ribbon cutting, former Mayor Wadzeck echoed Simmons’ appreciation for Robert Rodriguez, TxDOT engineer, who Wadzeck said is the “best area engineer” Liberty County has had in recent memory. Wadzeck also thanked the Dayton Rotary Club for being a collaborator on the project.
“There’s almost nothing quite as satisfying as seeing an idea come to reality, and that’s what this is for us. We have envisioned it for over six years. The Enhancement Committee dreamed it and Kimmy [Wood] brought it to life. You can’t do anything without TxDOT because they own the underpass. Roberto was wonderful to work with,” Wadzeck said.
Adding that projects like this one take money, Wadzeck thanked the donors of the project: Drs. John and Jessica Johnson, Dr. Luke Chachere and Chachere Veterinary Clinic, and the Youngquest Family of Mont Belvieu, Pace-Stancil Funeral Home, Karen and Randall Arnold, Dayton Rotary Club, Bill Buchanan, and Susan Simmons.
Kimmy Wood, who designed and created the horses based on DEC’s wishes, thanked the Dayton Enhancement Committee for allowing him to collaborate on another project. He previously built the Love Locks project outside of Dayton Community Center.
In her comments, City Manager Kim Judge thanked the committee for its work.
“You guys have been so instrumental in setting Dayton apart from the surrounding communities. With the beautiful art that you’ve been establishing throughout the area, along with the individual stars that people are able to purchase and put in their yards or at their business fronts, is setting Dayton at a higher standard,” Judge said. “We are shining. We are stars, and we thank you for your efforts in making this happen.”
Mayor Martin Mudd said he is proud to have DEC working with the City on beautification projects.
“We want to make sure our city is clean and looks nice and presentable. I think this organization is helping people. We by no means want our city to go by the wayside and to have people just pass us and not think twice about it,” Mudd said.
About the Dayton Enhancement Committee
The Dayton Enhancement Committee’s purpose is to advise and make recommendations to the Dayton City Council on matters relating to the beautification, maintenance and development of public property within the City of Dayton. All agendas are posted on the City’s website and meetings are open to the public. This is an all-volunteer organization.
Since DEC was established, it has:
- installed a flag disposal box at The Crossroads Plaza next to City Hall and partnered with the Veterans of Foreign Wars on flag disposal ceremonies;
- installed a replica water tank on US 90 and added new lettering and signage;
- added the Higher Ground mural on the water tank on Clayton St. and the flower mural on the Medical Clinic wall on Main Street;
- purchased Christmas decor to decorate downtown Dayton;
- purchased seasonal banners to commemorate various holidays;
- had TxDOT designate part of State Highway 146 south as the John Otto Expressway;
- added a mural with historical photos on the Kountry Kitchen wall on Main Street;
- designed and presented a new City of Dayton logo and city seal to Dayton City Council;
- installed the Texas flag and flagpole, and the longhorn statues on the US 90 entrance into Dayton on the east side;
- partnered with Dayton Garden Club and Precision Lawn to plant wildflowers near the US 90 flagpole and longhorn statues;
- planted 158 crepe myrtle trees along US 90 west of Dayton;
- installed the Love Lock sculpture at the Dayton Community Center;
- painted murals on the water tank at Parker Park and the wall of Donut Delight; and
- installed reading boulders at the Little Library located at the Dayton Community Center.
It doesn’t take much to thrill Dayton people. Hope the drivers are watching the road instead of looking at decorations.
So they are going to spend more tax dollars to celebrate the tax money they pissed off on art. Damn democrats, no doubt. But hey, they got their name and picture in the paper!
As stated in the original article, “These works of art, skillfully manufactured by Liberty’s own Kimmy Wood and paid for by private citizens and local businesses,”
Looks like the money would have been better spent in trying to do something about the flooding that happens there almost every time it rains.