The City of Sweet Home has completed construction of five information kiosks that have been planned for different locations in the community.
The new kiosk is located across 12th Avenue from City Hall, at 1140 12th Ave.
The city received a $2,000 Healthy Eating and Active Living grant from the Oregon Public Health Institute in November to build the five kiosks, said Finance Director Pat Gray. The kiosks will contain maps and information about Sweet Home.
“The kiosks would be used by people new to the community, walkers out for a stroll and visitors enjoying our beautiful community,” Gray said.
The two-sided kiosks are built from wood, with a Husky-green metal roof, a flyer box and framed plexi-glass cover for the map.
The maps, designed by The New Era, are bright and colorful, showing points of interest and commonly needed facilities, like the police station, grocery stores, clinics, parks and more.
Don Sullivan is the kiosk project manager, and Trish Rice is the engineering technician on the project.
Locations for the kiosks include City Hall; the new City Hall, 3225 Main St.; Sankey Park, 877 14th Ave.; Ashbrook Park, 2800 Juniper St.; and East Linn Museum, 746 Long St.
“We are hoping businesses want to be on the maps, and more kiosks can be built to be placed around the community to encourage walking,” Gray said. “We want the kiosks to serve several purposes. We want to encourage people to walk to the store or Post Office or bank to do their business not just automatically jump into their cars to drive four blocks.
“Urban maps that will be available at the kiosks, with walking routes, will encourage people to explore Sweet Home with their feet and learn that a mile is truly not that far.”
The grant was one of seven awarded as part of the HEAL Cities campaign, a partnership among the Public Health Institute, the League of Oregon Cities and Kaiser Permanente to help civic leaders create healthy communities.
For more information, contact Gray at (541) 367-5128.
More information about the Heal Cities Campaign may be found at healcitiesnw.org.