Running right alongside the Truckee River, the Rotary Sculpture Garden at Bicentennial Park is one of the most distinct features of downtown Reno, Nevada. Featuring sculptures and monuments from a variety of artists, the Sculpture Garden has provided an identity to an area that would otherwise be empty, highlighting what kind of engagement can be enabled with an imaginative approach to engagement.
Celebrating Reno’s Scenic Downtown River Corridor
Located on the southeast corner of First and Ralston Streets along the Truckee River, the Rotary Sculpture Garden at Bicentennial Park was first envisioned in 2014 as a celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Rotary Club. In 2016, the Reno Arts and Culture Commission and Public Art Committee installed the sculpture park in collaboration with the club. It featured four freestanding pedestals and two at-grade footings to hold sculpture installations along the river corridor. Six sculptures were selected by members of the Public Art Committee and Project Committee of the Reno Rotary Club for installation.
Permanent sculptures include Iron Horse by Pierre Riche, Daring Young Man on a Trapeze by Ric Blackerby, Rhinoman by Carolyn Guerra, Circles by CJ Rench, Dual Nature by Cecilia Lueza and Legend by Nathan Pierce. In 2018 and 2020, the City of Reno purchased six more sculptures for permanent installation in the park.
With sculptures that vary from figurative to abstract, audiences can engage with the pieces and space in a variety of ways. New temporary installations are always being rotated in, enabling the constantly changing experiences that people can have in the space. This variety in form and type highlights the many different ways the Sculpture Garden at Bicentennial Park is connected to the culture of the city, but the economic impact it has enabled has also been significant.
Events that are dedicated to endeavors like funding improvements regularly take place in the space. Others have been able to use the space as an official and unofficial gathering spot. Additionally, volunteers replant the flowerbeds at the beginning of summer, highlighting the continual community connection that the space has cultivated. The Sculpture Garden at Bicentennial Park has also formed an indirect connection to the nearby coffee shops, restaurants, bars, shopping and theaters.
All of these developments showcase what it can mean to imaginatively transform a space in a way that makes sense for the community in the present and future.
Giving Back and Making a Difference
The desire to give back to the community in a family-friendly way drove the creation of the Rotary Sculpture Garden at Bicentennial Park, but the desire to make a difference and revitalize downtown Reno further defined the effort. Doing so has changed the type of activity happening in Bicentennial Park in a positive way, highlighting what an imaginative approach to engagement can do to impact the hearts and minds of audiences of all types.
