TRAFFORD BOROUGH NEXT RECIPIENT FOR WESTMORELAND CULTURAL TRUST’S WINGS ACROSS WESTMORELAND INITIATIVE
Trafford will be the next location for Westmoreland Cultural Trust’s Wings Across Westmoreland countywide initiative with an unveiling ceremony planned for Saturday, July 9 at 10 AM at the Trafford Borough Building (414 Brinton Ave).
The Trafford Wings will be the ninth set installed across Westmoreland County since the initiative began with pair of wings in Westmoreland Cultural Trust’s Art in the Alley in Greensburg. Designed by Incubator for the Arts creative Patrick Mahoney, each pair of wings are approximately nine feet wide and printed on dye-cut metal. The wings are installed so that residents and visitors can stand between the wings for photos. The artwork depicted in the wings feature historical and cultural icons specific to its location.
The wings will be installed at the Trafford Borough building, directly under an existing mural that depicts Trafford’s rich history in outdoor activities, railways, and commerce. “I saw this project as a means to highlight the past, present, and future of our borough but also as a great opportunity to continue working with members of the Trafford community,” said Kris Cardiff, Trafford Borough Council President. “I believe there are three parts to the successful development of a municipality, and we've always focused on two-thirds of it, Community and Economic Development. I'm confident that the Wings project will open the door to the third part which is Cultural Development."
Attendees at the reveal on Saturday, July 9 can enter a contest to identify the most locations on the wings for a prize. The contest will be hosted by Trafford borough council.
Steve Perovich, Trafford Borough Council Vice-President and Wings Committee Member is looking forward to having Trafford history represented through art. "The images shown within these wings represent the many elements that have contributed to the 118-year rich history of Trafford. The outer border of these wings will allow Trafford to soar into the future while remembering and protecting the past.”
The Trafford Wings Committee is working with the Trafford Historical Society to create a legend with “fun facts” about each location depicted on the wings. This legend will be available in printed form in the borough office or on the borough website using a QR code that will be placed next to the artwork.
Funding for the Trafford wings was provided by St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. "St. Mark’s Lutheran Church provided services to Trafford for over a hundred years but had to close its doors in 2019. After the sale of the property, we wanted to give back to the community and 'Wings Across Westmoreland' met the criteria we were looking for,” said Pat Bayko, St. Mark’s Committee Member. “The Wings provide historical points of interest and will help bring back good memories of our wonderful town."
“Westmoreland Cultural Trust is looking forward to welcoming Trafford as its newest community to the Wings Across Westmoreland initiative,” said Westmoreland Cultural Trust CEO April Kopas. “Trafford has a rich history reflected in this accessible outdoor art project that will captivate residents and visitors alike.”
Trafford Wings Committee Members began this project in 2021 and have carefully and thoughtfully selected landmarks to be displayed on the wings. Committee members include: Pat Bayko, Trafford Council Woman and St. Marks Committee Member; Andrew Capets, Trafford Historical Society; Kris Cardiff, Trafford Borough Council President; Jean Gregg, St. Marks Committee Member; Bob Kozubal, Trafford Historical Society; Brandon Lacina, Trafford Business Association; Steve Perovich, Trafford Borough Council Vice-President.
WCT’s Wings Across Westmoreland will continue to grow in 2022 with an additional installation planned at The Lamp Theatre in Irwin in August. Current locations include Greensburg (Art in the Alley), Overly’s Country Christmas, Jeannette (Sobel’s Obscure Brewery), Ligonier (Town Hall), Mount Pleasant (Library), Vandergrift (Casino Theater), Youngwood (Five Star Trail), and Smithton (Borough Building).
About Wings Across Westmoreland
Wings Across Westmoreland was inspired by artwork in WCT’s Art in the Alley located between The Palace Theatre and the Union Trust Building on North Main Street in Greensburg. WCT Incubator artist Patrick Mahoney created a pair of wings with iconic imagery of the city including The Palace Theatre and the county courthouse. Over the years, these wings gained popularity via social media by use of the hashtag #WCTWings. This inspired WCT to create a set of wings for other Westmoreland County cities to add beauty and art to the area and highlight what makes each town unique.