Members of the Media Invited to Attend and Cover Mural Installation

Springfield, OR – The City of Springfield’s Stormwater Team invites members of the media to attend and cover the installation of a thermoplastic, 50-foot sidewalk mural to commemorate 10 Years of UpStream Art.

Event Details:

• What: Celebrating 10 Years of UpStream Art – installing UpStream Art’s 44^th storm drain mural
• Who: A City Operations crew and UpStream Art staff will be installing and melting a 50-foot thermoplastic mural on the sidewalk in front of Guy Lee Elementary.
• When: 5 a.m.-8 a.m., Thursday, August 28, 2025
• Where: Guy Lee Elementary School, 755 Harlow Road, Springfield. On the sidewalk along Harlow Road, near the LTD bus stop. This storm drain empties to an open channel that runs along the freeway and empties into the Willamette River about 2 miles away.
• Visuals/Opportunities: City Operations crew will unpack and arrange colorful sheets of pre-cut thermoplastic and melt them on the sidewalk with large torches. The resulting mural, designed by local artist Rae Matagora, will be 50 feet long and centered at a storm drain on Harlow Road. The art features raindrops, roads, water creatures, and other water-themed designs.
• Interview Availability: Peter Jaeger, Environmental Services Technician for the Environmental Services Division in the Development and Public Works Department, will be available for interviews.

Why it matters

This is a special 10^th anniversary mural, the largest UpStream Art mural yet at 50 feet long, the first mural made of thermoplastic, the 44^th mural in the collection, and UpStream Art’s first installation in the Gateway area. Gateway is a great area to talk about the stormwater system because it’s busy with a lot of buildings and paved surfaces, creating a lot of runoff when it rains. Designed by local artist Rae Matagora, this year’s mural reflects her vibrant and playful style. Visitors can walk the path that water takes from rain, to runoff, to rivers, to fish in the river, accompanied by creatures like frogs, turtles, and dragonflies. The mural will not be painted. Instead, it will be made of thermoplastic which is commonly used for pavement markings.

About UpStream Art

UpStream Art is a project hosted by the City of Springfield’s Stormwater Team. It raises awareness of local water quality, supports artists, and delights neighborhoods by decorating storm drains with educational, water-themed murals. The project meets requirements placed on the City by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. In 2024, UpStream Art won the Outstanding Agency Award and statewide recognition from the Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies. Stormwater user fees, not taxes, fund UpStream Art.

Every summer since 2016, the UpStream Art project has hired 4 to 6 artists to paint water-themed storm drain murals at neighborhoods across the City. These make a cheerful and lasting reminder that, when it rains, what’s on our streets washes into storm drains and out to the Willamette and McKenzie rivers. “Keep it Clean from Street to Stream.”

Take a Virtual Tour of the murals: bit.ly/upstreamtour

Learn more about UpStream Art: bit.ly/upstreamart

For more information or to Confirm Attendance:

Peter Jaeger, Environmental Services Technician

Development & Public Works Department

541-726-3693 | pjaeger@springfield-or.gov