Designed by local historian Kevin Rose, who leads Wescott’s Summer Tour Series, these allow people to go out on their own, whether it’s a lunch hour, evening, weekend or about any time.
“There’s a trend of more people going downtown and we wanted to create more opportunities for them,” Rose said. “These are programs to give people a reason to get out downtown, for kids and families. On our tours, there’s an immediate gratification seeing the people react, getting it. That’s very rewarding.”
Downtown Design Find had a soft opening and Rose is pleased with positive feedback from people of various ages, including 20-somethings who took the challenge while enjoying a DORA beverage.
Participants are out to find hidden design details in landmarks such as the Myers Market, better known now as COHatch, the AB Graham Building and City Hall, along with newer murals and artworks.
Brochures for the Downtown Design Find are available at COHatch, Winans Chocolates and Coffees and other downtown places.
The Lenski Walk was actually introduced in 2019 and to a lesser extent continued in 2020. It has been revised and will especially appeal to families and kids ages 7-12, although Rose said even retirees can have fun with it.
Rose said bloggers took the walk and were enthused. It incorporates Lenski’s poetry into finding downtown places.
Kids who solve a puzzle connected to the walk can turn in the completed work for a free Lenski book at the Clark County Public Library. Brochures are available at the library and Springfield Museum of Art.
One of the things Rose wanted to incorporate into these was being self-reliant and not depending on a convenient phone or computer to find the answers.
“It isn’t virtual, you can’t just look up answers,” he said. “This is when Google, Siri and Wikipedia will not give you the answers, only your two feet.”
These have been in the works for years, first being tested by out-of-town people who had no connection to Springfield. Seeing the programs being used and getting good feedback validates the time and testing.
“It’s about getting people into the free air and being active,” Rose said. “We hope it will build lasting connections with our urban environment and seeing things in new ways.”
For more information, go to the Westcott House’s website or social media pages.