City Walks – Safe Footing

Boxes For The People

A number of cities around the world put out boxes of sand and salt which residents can use on their sidewalks and streets in icy weather. My city puts them out every fall in a number of places ahead of freezing weather, especially on hilly and twisty streets.

You can see one here at the top of a hill by a hairpin turn.

Inside they are just as unremarkable as you would think. Even the foster dog I was walking can’t be bothered to sniff it.

But some people have decided to make use of these incredibly plain, utilitarian objects and use them to display their art.

Sometimes there’s an overt message, such as this one supporting Ukraine.

Others are aimed at kids.

Some have no decoration except for this sticker encouraging people to use just a little at a time.

This one is only decorated in a tiny, ephemeral way:

Someone placed on it an egg, with the words “Every Day With You is Egg-Ventful”

And a couple have been used to commemorate people. This one is in honor of Rosa Ponselle, who was a celebrated soprano in the early 20th Century who was often a star at the Metropolitan Opera.

And finally, this one has a portrait of John Astin as his most famous character, Gomez Addams from the 1960s TV show.

The boxes are such a part of the streetscape that it’s easy to pay no more attention to them than fire hydrants or parking meters. But once you realize what artists have been doing, it’s hard not to take a quick look to see if anyone has been at work.