Parks board approves new site for 'You Are Beautiful' sculpture, creates Singing Sands trailhead

The Michigan City Parks and Recreation Board on June 18 approved a site plan to relocate the You Are Beautiful sculpture to a parcel across from Pullman Park and establish a trailhead for the Singing Sands Trail.

The move, paid for in full by the city Redevelopment Commission, also includes repainting the sculpture and adding solar lighting, according to a parks staff member who presented the plan. "The design team at SmithGroup did a really good job, I think, of maximizing the view from both the trail and Highway 12," the staff member said. The Michigan City Public Art Committee has already approved the design.

Board members said the new location was chosen in part because the larger adjacent development project next to City Hall required the sculpture to be moved. The presenter said the site will function as a trailhead for the Singing Sands Trail, a feature the city had originally planned but removed from the project when costs exceeded budget.

The plan includes low‑maintenance landscaping using mostly native, no‑mow grasses, and the presenter said the park department will maintain the site after construction is complete. The design package lists six regular parking spaces and two ADA spaces; restroom and picnic shelter elements are shown as alternates that could be added if budget allows.

Pat Bolt, named as participating on the public art committee, was referenced by the presenter as supporting the design and its maintenance implications. Redevelopment Commission funding will cover the cost of moving and preparing the sculpture for reinstallation.

A board member moved to approve the site plan; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously.

The board did not adopt additional amenities as part of this approval; staff said alternates such as the restroom and picnic shelter would depend on available funding during construction.