Commentary by Cindy Benedict
Sept. 13 was a whirlwind day with the inaugural Noblesville White River Celebration – a full day honoring and caring for our precious river. It would not have happened without another force of nature – Darren Peterson. Peterson spent months leading the event’s planning team but that is just a small portion of the hours he volunteers to Noblesville.
Peterson is one of the most creative people I know. Right now that creativity is focused on downtown Noblesville through a wide range of volunteer duties with Noblesville Main Street, Noblesville Chamber of Commerce and Nickel Plate Arts. Peterson told me he “loves transforming space into gathering places for community.” Peterson gets so excited when he talks about downtown – how much he loves its “spirit and how it feels.” He is proud that downtown avoided the “by-pass syndrome and it remains a vibrant and exciting environment.”
As principal architect for Peterson Architecture, Peterson has the professional skills to design beautiful buildings that foster community. One of these is the Shaarey Tefilla Synagogue, which made Peterson think in new ways to integrate function, faith, history and art. It also allows him to see an empty alley next to Noblesville Main Street and transform it into a European market space on Thursdays; or how to use a pile of cans to create art, feed the hungry and bring together a wide range of collaborators to make it happen.
This is the second year of “Noblesville CanStruction” and it promises to be another big hit. Teams of architects, engineers and just about anyone who wants to help make colossal structures entirely out of full cans of food. Church, Church, Hittle & Antrim is hosting this year’s event. The structure will be built Oct. 3 and on display through Oct. 19. All the food is donated to local food pantries at the end of the exhibit. Peterson is quite busy right now lining up sponsors, so help today by calling Noblesville Main Street at 776-0205. Our pantries need your support.
By the way, if you were at the White River Celebration, you got to enjoy a massive cake to celebrate Noblesville Main Street’s 25th Anniversary. Peterson is also a Wilton method cake decorator and teacher. He and four students created the amazing cake. It was just another way he volunteered his time, talent and treasure to make the day special.
