You may remember way back in 2020 when State and Main streets were closed off Thursday through Sunday to give restaurants and merchants an opportunity to bring customers closer to their menus and cash registers in the confusion of COVID.
Restaurants rolled out the barrels and customized their decks, trees, plants, lights and much more to offer outdoor dining.
We were talking about serious oak barrels from Napa’s Silver Oak winery provided through the generous connections of a downtown property owner.
Now the outdoor dining landscape has been upgraded by rolling the barrels away, replaced by BSRCP (Basic Series Rectangular Concrete Planters) each weighing about a half ton.
Could we come up with a cooler creative name than BSRCP?
The new-look barriers have been put in place all over the downtown with metal railings and new wood decks.
We are already seeing a wide variety of botanical arrangements growing up from the tops of these prodigious planters.
What will the gray concrete facings of the streetscape look like?
When will we see the first artwork?
A few suggestions if a plan isn’t already in the place to decorate the fronts of the concrete dividers.
• “Arts Los Altos” art contest: Winners’ creations are put on the facings.
• Dog donor purchases: Have a painting of your dog featured based on a donation to local art programs.
• Artwork featuring top menu items of participating restaurants.
• Los Altos High School art students’ featured works.
• Top finger paintings from local elementary schools.
• Mosaic masterpieces.
If a budget is needed to create the creative community artwork why not a “Roll Out the Barrel” fundraiser using the replaced oaken barrels?
Andy Dolich operates Dolich & Associates, a sports consultancy based in Los Altos.
