March 11, 2026
VIROQUA Wis. – The Viroqua City Council approved a $24,263 dollar contract Tuesday, March 10 to purchase specialized outdoor furniture for the McIntosh Memorial Library courtyard. The purchase is a key piece of a $50,000 dollar Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Vibrant Spaces grant awarded to the city in 2025 to elevate local public art.
McIntosh Memorial Library Director Trina Erickson provided the council with an update on the expansive project which pairs a complete overhaul of the library concrete patio with a new interactive walking tour of downtown murals.
“The vibrant spaces grant funds a new mural at the library and helps us create the Viroqua mural walk which will be really a loop starting at the library,” said Erickson. “Each mural location will have a sign that is part of the talking trails contract so when someone comes up they can scan the QR code and it will tell who the artist is and what the mural represents.”
Erickson explained that the city is working with the company “Talking Trails” to record audio scripts directly from the artists who painted the eight downtown murals. When visitors scan the signs the artist will introduce themselves and explain the meaning behind their work.
The physical transformation at the library involves turning what Erickson called a hot concrete slab into an inviting gathering space. The new furniture purchased through The Library Store features bright colors like blue orange and yellow along with large movable shade structures. Erickson stressed that the heavy price tag was necessary to ensure the safety of the items in the notoriously windy courtyard.
“The furniture needed to be stuff that did not have to be stored during the winter,” said Erickson. “And it also needed to be what is called weighted furniture because it gets very swirly in that courtyard and my fear was a chair would end up on Rock Avenue through a library window.”
The courtyard will also be enclosed by a new flat top fence designed without sharp points to meet safety recommendations from the police chief. The final element will be a massive mural painted on both the north and south walls of the courtyard by local artist Sarah Peterson of Lucid Painting.
While the furniture and fence are expected to be installed by early May to coincide with the launch of the mural walk the courtyard painting will take place later in the summer.
“She is going to do our mural in July,” said Erickson. “She figures if the weather holds everything is good she will be able to finish it in about three weeks and she is really excited and is encouraging people to stop by and watch her paint.”
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