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THIS

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WILL BE SEEN FROM A GREATER DISTANCE.

SO THE WHOLE BOTTOM

[Fire Station 3 Water Tower Art Project]

WILL BE DOING EXTRA COLOR TO DARKEN IT.

IT'S A PROJECT UNLIKE ANY OTHER EVER SEEN IN GRAND PRAIRIE BEFORE BECAUSE IT MEANT GOING WHERE NO ONE HAS EVER GONE BEFORE, 140 FEET AND HIGHER.

THAT'S HOW HIGH ARTIST ERIC HAND WENT WHENEVER HE COULD TO PUT HIS UNIQUE SKILLS TO WORK METICULOUSLY AND CAREFULLY HAND PAINTING THE THREE MASSIVE EYE-CATCHING MURALS THAT HAVE GIVEN AN UNMISTAKABLE IDENTITY TO THE CITY'S NEW WATER TOWER THAT STANDS PROUDLY ABOVE FIRE STATION NUMBER THREE ON ROBINSON ROAD.

TIMES HAVE CHANGED SO THERE'S MORE ATTENTION TO THESE WATER TOWERS AND THEY BECOME A LANDMARK AND PEOPLE IDENTIFY AREAS WITH THE WATER TOWER.

JUST THE WATER TOWER ON ITS OWN IS AMAZING BECAUSE WE KNOW WE BUILT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA SUPPORT OUR CURRENT RESIDENTS AS WELL AS FUTURE RESIDENTS AND THE GROWTH OF THE CITY.

BUT IT WAS ALSO A LOT OF FUN WORKING WITH THE ART AND JUST SOMETHING CREATIVE FOR YEARS TO COME.

WE CAN LOOK AT AND HAVE PRIDE THAT WE ARE A PART OF, BUILT RIGHT NEXT TO THE PREDECESSOR THAT IT WILL SOON REPLACE AND EQUIPPED WITH 21ST CENTURY TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL HANDLE TWICE THE WATER CAPACITY AND PROVIDE EVEN BETTER QUALITY.

THE NEW TOWER IS STATE OF THE ART IN EVERY WAY, AND THANKS TO THE VISION OF CITY LEADERS AND ONE AMAZING ARTIST THAT INCLUDES A BEAUTIFUL ADDITION TO THE GRAND PRAIRIE LANDSCAPE THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO PASS BY IT EVERY DAY ARE ALREADY GETTING TO ENJOY STAFF.

WORKED WITH CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO COME UP WITH IMAGES THAT REALLY REPRESENTED THE CITY.

AND WHAT WE CAME UP WAS THE EPIC JOE POOL LAKE AND LONE STAR PARK, WHICH IS PROBABLY MY FAVORITE SCENE BECAUSE OF THE, THE COLORS AND IT WAS REALLY THE HARDEST AND THE MOST CHALLENGING, BUT I THINK IT REALLY ADDS SO MUCH TO THIS TOWER.

AND HE WOULD KNOW PROJECTS LIKE THIS HAVE NOW BEEN ERIC'S SPECIALTY FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

I'VE BEEN IN LIKE 45 STATES AND I'VE BEEN FROM NEW YORK TO CALIFORNIA TO AUSTRALIA.

BUT HE SAYS THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT HAS LEFT HIM WITH LASTING MEMORIES, NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT TOOK A LITTLE LONGER THAN HE EXPECTED, MAINLY DUE TO TEXAS WEATHER FROM FREEZING SNOW, ICE TO TORNADOES, HIGH WINDS, HAIL, FLOODS, YOU NAME IT.

TEXAS HAS HAD IT THIS YEAR AND I'VE WITNESSED IT.

BUT HE ALSO GOT TO WITNESS PLENTY OF SPECTACULAR GRAND PRAIRIE SUNSETS TOO, AND TO SHARE THE MEMORY OF A LIFETIME WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND WHILE UP IN THE AIR ON APRIL 8TH, THE DAY OF THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE.

AND WE GOT TO SEE THE WHOLE HORIZON, HOW IT TURNED DARK AND IT LIGHTENED UP AGAIN.

AND THAT WAS A REALLY SPECIAL MOMENT AND IT WAS NEAT TO ACTUALLY BE IN MY ELEMENT UP THERE IN THE LIFT.

THAT WAS A, A SPECIAL ONE.

WHAT HE DID FOR GRAND PRAIRIE IS PRETTY SPECIAL TOO.

WELL, ERIC IS AMAZING AND IT'S BEEN A JOY TO WATCH HIM TAKE THE CITY'S VISION AND MAKE IT COME TO LIFE.

MY BIGGEST HIGHLIGHT OF WORKING UP IN THE AIR AND WORKING IN A NEW COMMUNITY IS SEEING THE PRIDE IN THAT COMMUNITY.

IT'S A BLESSING AND IT'S ALSO VERY GRATIFYING.

OFFICIALS SAY THE NEW WATER TOWER WILL BE READY TO PROVIDE FULL SERVICE TO RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES BY THIS FALL.