Help decorate fire hydrants in Mount Prospect

Public art projects have become all the rage in recent years. Chicago had its cows and horses. Arlington Heights had its train engines. Now, Mount Prospect will have decorated fire hydrants.

The deadline to register for "Fired Up!" - the public art project sponsored by the Mount Prospect Centennial Commission - is Thursday, June 30. All applications and fees must be submitted to the Commission at Village Hall, 50 S. Emerson St., or via P.O. Box 256, Mount Prospect.

"Residents and businesses alike are invited to participate in this fun activity," said Christy Watychowicz, project chairman. "Don't miss this unique opportunity to make your creative mark on our fire hydrants throughout the village while helping decorate for Mount Prospect's Centennial Celebration."

The fee is $50 per hydrant located in an area zoned as residential and $150 per hydrant located in an area zoned as commercial or industrial.

Randhurst Village is even paying to have a number of their hydrants participate in the project, soliciting local nonprofits and schools to do the artistic honors, according to Dale Henricksen, general manager.

Any public fire hydrant within the village of Mount Prospect is a potential candidate. Applicants must request a specific location and hydrants will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. No one has the "right" to a particular hydrant.

The actual painting will take place during September. The design, which needs to be detailed on the application form, must be appropriate for a public space and should not endorse an individual; be political in nature; or be offensive in any way.

Text on the hydrant is limited to place names. More detailed rules and the application form may be found at www.mountprospect100.com.

After the hydrant painting is complete, photos of the painted hydrants will be posted on the Centennial Facebook page for one month (Oct. 15 to Nov. 15). During this period, the number of "likes" recorded for the various decorated hydrants will be noted and a special public award will be bestowed soon thereafter at a meeting of the village board.

For information about the project, email hydrants@mountprospect.org.