Newly completed mural and banners encourage outdoor activities in North Natomas
Artists covered a 200-foot long stretch of wall along the Jackrabbit Trail in North Natomas with vibrant paint this June as part of an effort to encourage walking and biking. Jibe, a North Natomas nonprofit organization that encourages people to choose sustainable transportation like walking, cycling and public transit, funded the mural as well as a set of accompanying banners.
California Family Fitness Natomas granted permission for the mural to go up on its property, and Wide Open Walls helped organize and promote the project.
“The whole idea was to get people walking and biking on trails,” said Michelle Basso Reynolds, the communications and businesses outreach manager for Jibe. “We believed that if there was a mural on that wall, it would get more people using the trail, and we suspect that that’s the case because people love the mural now and it’s getting a lot of photographs and attention.”
Jibe hired 16 local artists to create accompanying banners placed along the trail. The banners will be up until July 31, but there are no plans to remove the mural.
Ahndiya Kiburi, who graduated from the Natomas Charter Performing and Fine Arts Academy High School this spring, designed a banner depicting a boy riding a bicycle, done in watercolor.
“I felt like it would be nice to promote why my family moved here,” said Kiburi, whose family moved to Sacramento six years ago. “It’s so nice outside, and you can go outside with your family and enjoy nature.”
Polly LaPorte, a Sacramento artist who also designed Jibe’s logo, submitted a painting of a cyclist in the valley.
“I’m a big user of public transportation,” LaPorte said. “I’m a proponent of what they’re talking about.”
Beka Clement and her two sons all submitted art that Jibe printed on posters. The family used an iPad to design colorful, geometric pieces.
Ten-year-old Tama Clement spotted his creation on the trail recently. “When we went to go see our art we were like, ‘We’re published artists now!’” he said.
Megan Kawada, who is entering ninth grade, also tried her hand at digital art. Her art teacher encouraged her to submit a design to the poster contest, and she used a tablet to depict a neighborhood scene that Jibe chose to print and post.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has encouraged Californians to opt for outdoor activities over indoor gatherings throughout the coronavirus pandemic, making open-air exercise popular in areas where it is possible.
“It was just kind of an interesting coincidence that the shelter-in-place orders were issued when they were,” Basso Reynolds said. “It enhanced the desire to get people out and about using those mobile trails, which they are still allowed to do provided they’re keeping 6 feet apart.”
Basso Reynolds said North Natomas employers who want to encourage their employees to go car-free can apply for funding from Jibe via a transportation improvement grant to start their own sustainable transportation initiatives.
Jibe only operates in North Natomas, but the Sacramento TMA and the South Natomas TNA work on sustainable transportation and car alternatives in other parts of the city.
This story was originally published July 15, 2020 at 10:24 AM.