City of Wayne Mural Celebration

PIPA Mural “Welcome to Goudy” City of Wayne Goudy Park

By Sarah Shurge – On Thursday, October 30th, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the City of Wayne Sign Shop for the city’s new ‘Welcome to Goudy’ mural.
Lori Gouin, Wayne Downtown Development Authority director, started the ceremony off by listing the dignitaries attending. She went on to explain that the process for the mural started in October 2024.
In January 2025, Wayne was awarded the project through the DIA (Detroit Institute of Arts). Wayne surveyed the entire community, got responses, and put a committee together. “This project is an example of how the DIA is giving back to the communities, and the city of Wayne is very fortunate to have received this Partners of Public Park mural,” said Gouin.
The committee had a vision for the project, but it wasn’t coming together exactly how they wanted. Gouin gave a special recognition to Natalie Rhaesa, Wayne Mayor John Rhaesa’s wife, for giving conceptual designs that were able to be brought to life by TreeTown Murals.
Eight murals have been painted by TreeTown Murals in the tri-county area.
The Goudy Park mural has two different sides. One side is focused on music; to celebrate the music and artists that come through the park. While the other side is focused on parks and recreation that brings the community together. “Because they’re silhouettes, anybody in the community as time progresses can be the person in the mural,” said Mayor Rhaesa.
Major thanks were given to the DIA and TreeTown Murals.
“We did a project with the DDA in 2018. We were looking at walls to do a mural. It seems like the seed had been planted years ago and to have this opportunity now is just pretty incredible,” said Mary Thiefels, TreeTown Murals owner and head paintress.
For more information about TreeTown Murals, visit treetownmurals.-com.
Be sure to stop by Goudy Park to see the mural!