Roachdale group chugging toward mural unveiling Monday evening

Though North Putnam High School art teacher Holly Cooper designed and painted much of the mural, many volunteers such as Joanie Knapp (above) came out to show their personal support.

Photo by Drew Cooper

ROACHDALE -- The Roachdale Revitalization Cooperative Alliance (RRCA) has announced a community event to celebrate the completion of a 65-foot mural that now adorns the former TDS building in the downtown business district of Roachdale on Monday, July 31.

The community celebration will begin at 6 p.m. in the parking lot next to the Roachdale Firehouse (204 N. Indiana St., Roachdale).

“We are thrilled to host this ‘reveal’ event for the community to celebrate the beautiful mural designed and painted by Holly Cooper,” RRCA President Joe Buser said.

Roachdale mural-project volunteers Joanie Knapp (left) and Councilwoman Holly Cook prep their supplies before filling in some of the final spaces ahead of the mural’s July 31 dedication.

Photo by Drew Cooper

“(Cooper) has done an extraordinary job in capturing the spirit of Roachdale,” he said. “This mural unofficially signifies the beginning of the revitalization journey of our town, where we, along with other civic organizations, the town of Roachdale and the state of Indiana will continue to promote historic preservation, beautification and economic stability and diversity.”

“There will be food and music and an opportunity to visit with your neighbors and friends,” Buser added.

Financial assistance and supporting groups for the project include: Hoosier Heartland State Bank, Tri-County Bank, the Putnam County Visitors Bureau, American Family Insurance, Modern Woodman Fraternal Financial and the Town of Roachdale.

Approved during public session in May, it took a little more than two months for the North Putnam High School art teacher, her husband Drew, a number of art students and other volunteers to create the two-story mural on the south side of the former TDS Telecom premises.

The former TDS building, which will see considerable transformation in the coming year as a community center, now houses the mural which prominently features the community’s long-standing history with the railroad.

The project initially garnered a mixed response when Buser presented the idea to the town board on May 9, receiving approval via 2-1 vote nonetheless with the dissenting citing no specific design, no community input, no maintenance plans, no formal evaluation of the building and questionable liability-insurance risks, even if the RRCA provided said insurance.

However, after assuring the board that the funds for the project would stem from an Asset Development grant through the Putnam County Convention and Visitor Bureau (with supplemental funds provided by some of the aforementioned organizations), the board gave the go-ahead for the mural.

The project, which was reported in May as having a $10,450 price tag, had already received unanimous approval from the board of directors of the Tourism Asset Development Matching Grant program.