Community Center

Idea:

A space where young adults and adults alike can meet and mingle to play board games, video games, watch films, and a place for music and dance.

Benefit:

This center would give young people and adults a place to get together for positive activities. My thought for location is Bar 74 – a large space with downstairs area for games etc., and a ballroom upstairs for dance. Lessons could be given by Salsa in Lowell and others, and [Read more…]

Location:

Downtown / JAM.

Lowell Chess Tournament

Idea:

A national chess tournament. We would engage and plan with, the UMassLowell Chess Club and the Lowell High School Chess Club.

Benefit:

Being a site for a chess tournament would add to our offerings of diversity in culture, food, and music. It would bring people of diverse ethnic cultures together. An opportunity for people of diverse backgrounds to get together in a popular and positive activity.

Location:

Downtown / JAM.

Nintendo Nights

Idea:

Put together a weekly or monthly series of events where people can bring picnic food (or we invite food trucks and get an alcohol permit for a beer garden if we’re ambitious) and there are one or two projectors set up in a locked case hooked up to old video games. They can eat and [Read more…]

Benefit:

Would help revitalize a park and bring people together. If it was advertised, maybe people would come from out of town to experience this unique Lowell idea.

Location:

Downtown / JAM.

Merrimack St crosswalks

Idea:

Downtown Amesbury commissioned artists to decorate crosswalks. With all of the artists in Lowell and all of the grant money the city got, this project could easily get done.

Benefit:

It would help beautify Merrimack St which is the heart of downtown. Downtown is in serious need of a clean up and beautification.

Location:

Downtown / JAM.

Painted Crosswalk at Dutton and Market Sts, Merrimack St, or Other

Idea:

Commission artists to paint bright designs between the reflective white bars of one or more crosswalks in the City. If it is possible, the ideal crosswalk is Market crossing Dutton. This intersection is an important link between both sides of Market Street. It’s a dangerous crossing for pedestrians, and a brightly colored crosswalk would alert [Read more…]

Benefit:

Highlight our artist community, make the connection between both sides of Market St arts sites, employ artists, pedestrian safety…

Location:

Downtown / JAM.

Light up the Sun sign

Idea:

The lights on the historic Lowell Sun sign (on top of the building downtown) are entirely or mostly burnt out. I believe the sign should be repaired and be lit again. A DIY Lowell Team can work with the Historic Board, the Lowell Sun, and the owners of the building to create a fundraising campaign [Read more…]

Benefit:

The sign was an icon of the city and preserving its history would help create city pride.

Location:

Downtown / JAM.

Tiki Boats on the Canal

Idea:

Have a one-time event partnering with a business or oganization that runs gondolas or tiki boats. Pick a canal that has calm waters and work with the agencies to do a one-time event that would test the feasibility of having people pay for boat rides on a canal. If this is successful, maybe we could [Read more…]

Benefit:

The canals are a under-utilized and under-maintained area in the city. Having a tiki boat, or multiple tiki boats that could run on the canals could provide insentive in keeping them clean, while also creating a fun attraction that could even support tourism in the Summer months.

Location:

Downtown / JAM.

Art in Lowell: Brick by Brick

Idea:

The city (or local businesses) offer bricks around Lowell to be painted by locally hired artists or community members.

Benefit:

Tourist attraction, jobs for local artists, beautiful and small art installations, connection and sense of ownership in the city.

Location:

Citywide, Don't Know, Downtown / JAM.

The Lowell Dance Project

Idea:

A space for all forms of dance to be taught/dance collective. The vision is to include classes for all ages and to include childcare and classes would be low charge. The classes are open and attendees can come at any time to a scheduled class based on levels (beginner/intermediate/advanced). The model is based on the [Read more…]

Benefit:

This would bring together the diverse cultures in Lowell and also would be a space for great energy. We have people wanting to teach these dances and we have people wanting to take lessons, so this idea is to bring it all together! This would provide income to teachers and [Read more…]

Location:

Downtown / JAM.

Public Bathrooms

Idea:

See if self-cleaning bathrooms can be rented or borrowed as a demonstration. Place a self-cleaning bathroom in a public space. If the bathroom can’t be rented/borrowed, provide information about these bathrooms to explore feasibility of putting one in Lowell.

Benefit:

Provides public bathroom access to individuals who don’t have access to a bathroom for various reasons.

Location:

Citywide, Don't Know, Downtown / JAM.