Um they don't do like an academic time. They do site word practice for 10 minutes and then they do something else >> later for another 10 minutes. But it is much much more relaxed I should say than um >> I would think that that's necessary for those. >> Yes, it is. They have like a long recess, they have snack, they have rest time. Um they'll do like a craft every day and then they'll do their site word practice >> and sounds. >> Several of our students participate in the morning program as well. So it's not the school start, it's it's even earlier. So some of them have a very long day, but it's awesome that in our community we're able to offer that at no charge. Absolutely. >> But yeah, it's lengthy sometimes. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Other questions? >> Just accolades. It's just I tell you, it makes me uh so proud that that we're able to do this and um that this is such a service to students and our community and bravo or brava.
And so, kudo. I absolutely love it. Thank you much. John Jordan, did you want to chime in? Thank you. All right, just waiting for someone to call my name. Thank you. Yeah, I appreciate the sentiment. I I just really want to dive a little beyond cuz I've been in that park a few times. I you know, I I sit there often if I go to the farmers market. And I think it's just a question of design, really. I think it's about the space. I mean, certainly art will activate it, create, you know, some destination, but I think the I mean, I almost feel like we should rank some of these parks and come up with, you know, some efforts to really change how they function. And this one in particular is bad, I think, from my point of view. In terms of helping the city sort of be a place that people want to sit.
I also love all the variety, especially all the physical movement. Um, is there a consistent policy um being followed with in regards to Chromebooks and the use of >> We we only have about 40 Chromebooks per program and some of our programs have 160 students in it. So, they don't really have a lot of access. So, they're only for homework time for the most part and sometimes a reward. And just on that note, you know, we're we're getting away from reward uh screen time of any kind. So I I I know that kids love, you know, like I I heard the reward of a Nintendo. Um but again, you know, with the new board policy, we're we're we know that screens are not good for developing brains and that um reward screens as a reward are considered disruptive technology. So it's it's something we're going to whittle away at.
It you know, it's sort of a no man's land revolving around the center sculpture. So, I think this is an opportunity for design and landscape and other people to get involved and actually make this a better spot than it what it is today. That would be my vote for for some sort of action on a lot of different kind of poorly planned spaces in the city. But that's just a recommendation. But I think art is definitely a part of that equation. So, I applaud the gesture and thank you for bringing it to our attention. Thank you, John. Allison. Yeah, I think Diana was very polite when she said that the space is not activated. Unfortunately, it's kind of activated in the wrong way right now. It's It's has the attention of some folks that are aren't using the space for the right reasons. And I think that art will draw more of the general population to use the space and therefore engage it.
Right, Rebecca? Right, board? >> And we agree as well. And that's why we have so many offerings and continue to flex. I think the other part I just want to say on that end of enrichments, what the team does really well is that they each site is unique kind of based on what the feedback is from the students. So you're not just, okay, this is like everybody's doing this at all 12 of our sites. So they do a really nice job of playing off of their own talents and expertise of what they're passionate about. So we have garden clubs and and then >> and the sewing was fantast and from that what's nice in terms of technology is that we have then kids that are seeing mentors steering them in another direction and giving positive attention to to different options. So we're definitely on the right track.
And hopefully, it will stay cleaner and it will get better use and not necessarily just I don't know if it's the design of it, but I think the way it's being used right now isn't ideal and that art could bring the right people to that space to engage in it. I think what the DDA has been doing in Liberty Plaza is very in that same vein of trying to activate it with more people for more good reasons. And I think the space could have the same type of activation. At any point, if you guys need a letter of recommendation or like another group that's saying, "Yes, we want to see this happen." Come back, we will obviously do that for you. Um I think when we talked previously, we had mentioned Jessica Black. Diana, that's the city parks person who oversees the like I know she oversees Liberty Plaza and I think she oversees that space.
>> Yeah. Awesome. Okay. Well, thank you very much. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. That was great. All right. Um, let's see. Do we have um any public comment at this time? President Conan, I don't have a public comment, but just wanted to to say to the group because you may not be aware, it takes a big group of people to run this and our this year with the addition of the homework heroes, our classified staff and CSEA have really partnered and come on board where they hadn't been before with this program and um all with the good intent of this is such a great thing for kids. Let's figure out how we can do this. and I really appreciate their um their willingness to jump into something that they hadn't jumped into before and it makes a big difference for those those homework heroes.
So, she would be the one who would say, "Yes, you can stick your flowers in here and we won't pull them out." Basically. >> [laughter] >> I don't I don't know if you connected with her yet. If If not, Krista, are you able to make that direct connection or or I can or I've heard she's retiring. Oh, okay. But there's someone new. I've been giving up given a point person though. I have reached out to her and I heard that she is retiring possibly. Um But I have been given another point person and the co-op board had a good parks point person that they've been working with in the past plant takes as well. Okay, so you're already connected. Yeah, and at any point you want us to kind of like chime in and be like, we want this to happen. The other good thing about city parks is that they have their own volunteer program and so they might be able to like make an opportunity for their volunteers to participate in like painting of flowers or if you did like a paint by numbers thing like they would have people that could volunteer for that.
>> Yes. Yeah. Absolutely. All right. Um seeing as there's no public comment, um this is information only, so we do not need to take any action this evening. Wow, this is a quick meeting. All right. Um, is there a motion to adjurnn this meeting? >> I'll motion to adjurnn. >> A motion by >> second by Lando. Um, do we want to discuss this? Okay, let's go ahead and vote. All those in favor of adjourning. I those against. All right, this passes.
They have their I think it's called something 360 or something um that they have. Sarah. Thank you, Allison. Um thank you all for for joining and I just I love this idea and I got really excited um with the idea of the rotation. Um like a rotating art gallery and I just wanted to mention there is a wonderful model for that in uh San Francisco. It's the Clarion Alley Mural Project. This is an alley in the Mission neighborhood um and this was started I think in 1992. So at this point it's actually grown into a full-fledged nonprofit that runs this rotating art gallery, but it is a a big tourist attraction and it just adds um this beautiful accessibility um for art for interaction um and it draws people to that neighborhood, right? Um when they're coming to visit as well as locals and I just think it's a really well-run uh thought-out um essentially rotating art gallery.
So just wanted to mention that that is worth um looking up. So. Thank you, Sarah. Jenna. Oh. Hi. Um not to I I think I just want to echo everyone else like what a cool idea and I would love to see something like that happen. I wanted to build off of something that John Jordan mentioned about, you know, I do think that space needs to be redesigned, but I see this proposal as like a short-term activation that can actually build excitement for something long-term. Like I feel like that's a great way to sell it and this idea of it rotating is is right on, too. So just would love to see that happen and echoing everyone else that whatever we can do to help support it. >> [snorts] >> I building on to that as well in my short talks with the DDA, I think they do have their eye on that space for a bigger more involved long-term project.
Yeah. Um I think it's more like 10 years down the road though, so this was just like again baby steps trying to get to that. And then eventually getting to a bigger and a a better design process for that space as well. Yeah, and it would be a great step, too. I mean like on its own it's it's would really make that space alive. So. And um if I can just pop in, I think um John also to your point, I think that we like to think about our spaces as like an invitation for people to give feedback, to belong, to engage and so I mean I love to think of other artists doing other work and if sidewalk painting gets approved then it's ephemeral and then in a year or two years someone else paints and it just becomes like another opportunity for people to feel like they can have a say in their spaces and hopefully they'll linger a little bit longer in that park and have opinions and then that'll help shape what comes next after that.
So I definitely agree that there's like design real structural design stuff that would make that more social uh post you want to linger longer and I think of our work as a starting point for more public engagement. Thank you all. >> Well, I like what the I I really enjoy what the conversation is leading to which is that you start you start with something and then get people to come and then it maybe it leads to something down the road. I'm I appreciate that that sentiment totally. I just think it the way it functions is just anathema to making it a place, right? It it sort of dumps out as a set of, you know, crosswalks dumping into a circle and then it's just it's a design matters to these things and to make it into a space that people want to sit and then be there day on a daily basis.
I think changing it would be the most useful. Not that art doesn't contribute to that, but I think inevitably you want to make it welcoming and right now it's just a transitional kind of space not a not a place really. But I could be wrong. Like yeah, I'm an architect, I think like an architect, so that's how I start. Well, I see a lot of heads nodding. I think this has been a really great discussion and uh really just fills our cup a lot just knowing that there are people out there with these ideas um and this like just drive. So um as a commission, this is exactly the kinds of things that we want to be supporting and the conversations we want to have. So um thank you all for bringing this to us and again like Allison said, if there's anything we can do to support um yeah, just keep us posted.
Keep us let us know what's going on. And also like shout the project out at some point or if you reach any roadblocks, give us heads up. We'll try to help. Thank you. Outstanding. Well, you guys will be the first to know when our grant goes live. We're hoping to partner with Creative Washtenaw, so it's going to be super juicy and um you all are welcome to stay. Um feel free. We just have a few more things on our agenda um but we'll probably just continue to move on unless there's any other final thoughts for Avery, Krista, and Diana. I do have one more thought. With the redevelopment of 303 Detroit Street, I mean they probably would be interested in uh changing the characteristics of that. I'm sure you've already talked to them, but just another thought since they're, you know, I think each one of those apartments is almost a million dollars, so I'm sure both the uh the future residents and the developer would be good allies in whatever you guys come up with.
Wonderful. Well, thank you everybody. Appreciate you coming and talking with us tonight. Yeah, I think I'm going to head off, but thanks for having us. >> so much. Thank you. Thanks. Bye. So we're going to move into the communications portion of our evening. I really love that last conversation. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Um Chris, do you want to kick us off with any staff reports or updates? Uh yeah, so all the staff report I had is tied to uh those funding mechanisms.
Uh so I encourage you all to just take a quick read, uh look through them and if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. I love that. Thank you, Chris. We I it seems like we're all we're all a similar trajectory, you know, we're moving forward to supporting the city, supporting artists, supporting performers and um just making Ann Arbor more functional, beautiful place. So I'm going to just switch it up here and we'll just go into reports from working groups and then we can uh finish up with communications from commissioners if there's updates or things that people want to share. So um just going to go through the working groups here. Um CIP is that's are there any updates from the CIP group since last month? Okay, I think that >> No, we're we're done for the year. We're not making any recommendations.
Okay. Um communication and outreach. Um Jamal Marionetta, yeah? Do I have that correct? Correct. Sarah, mhm. I don't think there's anything to report like except Jamal, you had talked about the um what's it our Instagram account or Yeah. Um Well, one thing I don't know if uh John, if you still wanted to collaborate John Katarski uh collaborate on some of the conversations we had previous about um some of your public art ideas and posting those to kind of encourage people to think about, you know, public art spaces differently. Um so just I'm still open to that. >> Sure, I'm I'm game. I'm I'm posting it on my social media anyway. Just pick up and you know, they'd be sort of pretty easy to put together, so Yeah. Whenever you're whenever it's convenient, Jamal uh give me a shout out and we can connect. Okay. Sounds good.
Do you ever do you ever post on Insta- Instagram or is it mostly Facebook? Who, me? Yeah. You Yeah, well I I uh I have my Facebook account just automatically post. So, a lot of the Instagram posts that probably don't make a lot of sense. I don't know. Uh, I don't know Instagram that much. I have posted a bit, but uh, so everything, you know, it's all meta. Everything, you know, you you can just have all your Facebook stuff for post to Instagram and all your Instagram stuff post to Facebook. And so, so, so that's the ex I should know this, Jamal, did we did we post the um, Golden Paintbrush Awards winners to our Instagram? No. >> we did, right? No. Oh, let's do it. Cool. Is >> Um, a way that we can help stream things to you? Is there a good How can we help you get content?