Moorhead Public Service Wants Your Help; What Designs Should Be on the Next Water Tower?

Visual representation often speaks louder than words

MOORHEAD, Minn. — Moorhead Public Service is building a new water tower in the Southside Neighborhood and wants to know what you think it should look like.

The same two artists who have designed the last two are part of the project and share their thoughts at the first open forum.

Moorhead Public Service is asking for ideas to put Moorhead pride on the city’s next water tower.

“Why do they love their neighborhood, what do they think of when they think of Moorhead?” said Carrie Lee Kinslow, a Social Practice Artist with the Moorhead Public Service.

While brainstorming about the tower which will be on 28th Street South near the Village Green Golf Course, the designers decided to ask questions they’ve gotten answers to in the past.

“We’ve done this one two previous water towers and had really good success and really good community input,” said Kristopher Knutson, with the Moorhead Public Service.

What they’ve realized is people love to see art represented in the city.

“That visual representation often speaks louder than words,” Kinslow said.

What should this new landmark in the South side of Moorhead capture?

“We want them to represent Moorhead and even on a neighborhood basis to specifically kind of represent the neighborhood that they are in,” Knutson said.

Which they say is best shown through design.

“I think it brings everybody together and shows that this is the kind of community that you want to live in. It’s vibrant, it’s artistic, it’s full of cultural, it’s full of family, it’s representative of all those things we hold dear,” Kinslow said.

Construction on the tower will start this summer and is expected to be finished in the summer of 2020.

Those behind the project are looking forward to the process.

“Starting from scratch and seeing something built that will positively impact the community,” said Knutson said.

Until then, the designers will be hard at work making sure their message is clear.

“I think it’s something that comes together beautifully and it’s a very poetic way to represent our city,” Kinslow said.

If you weren’t able to attend the forum, visit their website to send in your ideas and preferences.