Pictured (from L to R): Tim Jorgensen, UNI Art Shop Technician and Instructor; Dan Perry, Director, UNI Art Department; Ike Branstad, UNI student fabricator; Sam Barnhardt, lead fabricator on the project and recent UNI grad (not pictured). Contributed photo.

Last week the Public Art Incubator from the UNI Art Department installed a memorial sculpture in the newly renamed “Bill Davis Park” on Main Street in Reinbeck.

The Main Street park originated in 1999 from an empty lot transformed by the efforts of many community volunteers. These volunteers were led by Bill who was overseeing the design and construction of the park as his Eagle Scout Project. In 2016 Bill was riding his bike in Boulder, CO and was killed by a drunk driver. At that time, a group of friends started a fund in hopes of creating a memorial to Bill to stand in the park he helped to build.

Close friend and G-R classmate, Trevis Adair, took this idea to the City Council and requested the park be renamed the “Bill Davis Park.” A bike rack and cement pad were installed in 2017 and future plans were made to build a standing memorial.

Searching for the right artist to build a memorial is a journey, and little did we know we have a gem of an art department and manufacturing facility right here in the Cedar Valley with the Public Art Incubator in the UNI Art Department.

The Director, Dan Perry, willingly took on the project, even though it is small compared to the large-scale city and private foundation projects his department has done. Several students were involved in the design, material selection and construction of the metal artwork that stands on Main Street. The sculpture is a silhouette of a biker celebrating a race win. It is a reminder of how much Bill enjoyed life and lived each moment to its fullest.

The sculpture was installed in time for visitors to enjoy during the Reinbeck 4th of July celebration. A memorial plaque will be installed this Fall, with the formal dedication to be scheduled at a later date.

Thank you to everyone who generously contributed to this project be that in time, talent or money. Please take a moment to check out the new addition. It is something our community, the town of Reinbeck and Bill’s friends can be proud of.