A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
8
September 28, 2017
P
LYMOUTH
Wall art
Library unveils Pewabic mural
Plymouth Township Fire Department wins federal grant
Visitors to the Plymouth District
Library will notice a colorful new art
installation in the vestibule near themain
door.
A new custom tile mural created by
Pewabic Pottery of Detroit has been
unveiled at the downtown Plymouth facil-
ity. Including community landmarks and
natural features, the mural features
approximately 650 tiles glazed in more
than a dozen colors in hallmark Pewabic
style.
Founded byMary Chase Perry Stratton
in the early 1900s, Pewabic Pottery has
enriched lives through art education and
outreach for more than a century. The
installation began the week of Aug. 14 and
installers worked during regular library
hours, allowing visitors to see the mural
take shape.
This project was made possible by a
generous contribution from an anony-
mous donor, noted Library Director Carol
Souchock, and has been in the works for
the last year.
Many meetings took place to deter-
mine exactly what local landmarks would
be included to represent and celebrate
the community.
The Pewabic design team, including
Senior Designer Special Projects
Genevieve Sylvia, and Glaze
Development Specialist Alex Thullen,
among others, worked through several
renditions to convey the Plymouth com-
munity including both the City of
Plymouth and Plymouth Township. One
half of the mural features iconic land-
marks of the city like the Penn Theater
anddowntown clock.
The tile mural was created, cut and
molded by hand by Pewabic artists. Tile
pieces then passed through multiple kiln
firings (2300° F) to achieve the end-glaze
colors. At that point, the mural pieces
were then re-assembled to insure fit, qual-
ity and final approval.
Early discussions by the Library Board
of Trustees pointed toward Pewabic and
its longstanding reputation in southeast
Michigan.
“We are so excited to share the tradi-
tion and history of Pewabic Pottery with
the patrons of the Plymouth District
Library,” said Mary Maguire, president of
the library board of trustees. “The art tile
installation not only honors the Plymouth
community but the larger metro area, as
Pewabic is a Detroit-based non-profit.
Like our library, Pewabic Pottery is com-
mitted to excellence and to providing edu-
cational opportunities, passing knowl-
edge to thosewho seek it,” she added.
Souchock, worked with all parties on
the project, including library architect
Ron Cieslak. “It was through this diligent
effort that a final designwas determined,”
she explained. “In the coming years, this
work of art will become a landmark in
itself.”
DeSandre Brothers installed the art-
work at the library.
A $195,000 federal grant will
fund the replacement of obsolete
fire safety equipment for the
Plymouth Township Fire
Department.
According to Fire Chief Dan
Phillips, the department was
notified Sept. 8 that the grant
application submitted through
the Federal Emergency
Management System (FEMA)
about a year ago had been
approved and the funding for 25
new Self-Contained Breathing
apparatus (SCBA) devices had
been approved.
These devices are used by
firefighters to provide breathable
air in areas where smoke and
fumes are dangerous to life and
health. The devices are usually
used during fire suppression
activities, Phillips said, as well as
rescuing victims in a fire or other
dangerous environments.
The township will be respon-
sible for 10 percent of the total
cost of the devices, about $19,000,
Phillips said and the cost will
need approval from the mem-
bers of the board of trustees. The
current devices used by the fire-
fighters have not been replaced
in the department since the units
were purchased in 1999 and no
longer meet the safety standards
for such equipment. The new
breathing apparatus will allow
Plymouth Township to be com-
patible with the equipment used
by surrounding communities
such as Northville and Canton
townships.
The grant funding will allow
the township to replace the
SCBA units on every fire truck
and ambulance at all three fire
stations in the township, Phillips
added.
Phillips said the equipment
should be in the stations later
this year and that the current
staff of 21 firefighters would
begin training to use the new
capabilities the SCBA units now
offer.
Another federal grant of more
than $173,000 to the Plymouth
Township Fire Department for
equipment was announced by
U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and
Gary Peters last week. Plymouth
Township was among depart-
ments awarded $1.2 million in
equipment funding from the fed-
eral grant program.
“Our firefighters in southeast
Michigan put their lives on the
line to protect our families and
homes,” Stabenow said in a pre-
pared release, adding that “these
brave men and women will have
the equipment they need to help
them do their jobs more safely
and effectively.”
Peters said the equipment will
help firefighters “protect our
homes, businesses and families”
and “safety serve their communi-
ties.”
Plymouth District Librarian Carol Souchock and one of the artists from DeSandre
Brothers fist bump at the completion of the installation of the new Pewabic Tile mural at
the library.
Photo by Dave Willett
