User:Isobelpowell/Gum Wall/SGurmu Peer Review

The Market Theater Gum Wall is a brick wall covered in used chewing gum located in an alleyway in Post Alley under Pike Place Market in Downtown Seattle. Much like Bubblegum Alley in San Luis Obispo, California, or the Maid-Rite Gum Wall in Greenville Ohio, the Market Theater Gum Wall is a local landmark. It is an example of Participatory Art. Parts of the gum coating on the wall are several inches thick, and the coating is 15 ft high along a 50 ft section.

'''SG: You can consider including how to get down to the Gum Wall, its not the most direct way because if you go through the market you have to go down the stairs I believe...something to add maybe? You can state that it is a popular tourists spot - might be an opportunity to include how many tourist visit the gum wall / pike place. It is also a hot spot for taking pictures.'''

History
The wall is by the box office for the Market Theater. The tradition began around 1993 when patrons of Unexpected Productions' Seattle Theatresports stuck gum to the wall and placed coins in the gum blobs. Eventually, a passerby took the coins from the wall, leaving the gum formation by itself. Theater workers scraped the gum away twice, but eventually gave up after market officials deemed the gum wall a tourist attraction around 1999. Some people created small works of art out of gum.

'''SG: I think the history section is lacking sufficient information. There must be a ton of resources you can look into to expand this section. Consider maybe adding some famous / well known people who have visited the site and more about how the creation fo the gum wall began. It is a big part of Seattle's history and there should be more to add, https://secretseattle.co/story-gum-wall-seattle/, this source has some fun facts that you could include, check it out!'''

Recognition
It was named one of the top 5 germiest tourist attractions in 2009, second to the Blarney Stone. It is the location of the start of a ghost tour, and also a popular site with wedding photographers. The state governor, Jay Inslee, said it is his "favorite thing about Seattle you can't find anywhere else".

A scene in the 2009 Jennifer Aniston film Love Happens was shot at the wall.

The attraction has immense social media success, as the #gumwall hashtag has over 233,000 posts on Instagram.

'''SG: I see this is where you decided to include some famous people who have visited! Any presidents? Athletes? How about Seahawks team members who have paid the wall a visit? Macklemore? I think to make it more personal to Seattle and include some people Seattleites may know would be interesting!'''

Controversy
On November 3, 2015, it was announced by the Pike Place Market Preservation & Development Authority that for the first time in 20 years the great attraction gum wall would be receiving a total scrub down for maintenance and steam cleaning, to prevent further erosion of the bricks on the walls from the sugar in the gum. There were also prior complaints that the gum was being tracked into nearby businesses and that it attracts rats in the alley. Work began on November 10 and took 130 hours to complete, with over 2,350 lbs of gum removed and disposed of. After the cleaning was finished on November 13, gum began to be re-added to the wall; among the first additions were memorials to the November 2015 Paris attacks.

Some argue that the gum wall encourages visitors to litter. Bars and restaurants located on the opposite side of the attraction tried to keep the gum away from their properties by posting signs that read 'No Gum', however this tactic was not successful.

'''SG: This is unique perspective to include, maybe consider looking into any recent issues with the gum wall? Consider thinking about how covid may have impacted the gum wall. How did covid affect tourism? How did covid affects peoples willingness to visit or participate in the Gum Wall activities? Was having a gum wall the most sanitary thing during a global pandemic? Are there any sources that discuss this?'''

General info

 * Whose work are you reviewing?

User:Isobelpowell


 * Link to draft you're reviewing
 * User:Isobelpowell/Gum Wall
 * Link to the current version of the article (if it exists)
 * Gum Wall

Evaluate the drafted changes
(Compose a detailed peer review here, considering each of the key aspects listed above if it is relevant. Consider the guiding questions, and check out the examples of what feedback looks like.)

Lead:

Lead seems to have relevant content. Gives the reader a decent understanding of what/where the Gum Wall is and where it is located - could be more specific

Lead does not include a description of what the article will share and what the sections will discuss- can consider including that to expand on lead section

Lead is otherwise very concise and does not offer too much information at once

Content:

Content is relevant but sparse - I edited ways you can expand on specific sections (check SG notes above on article copy)

Content is not up to date - could include more important dates and significant events, images are also dated to 2011 - there must be more recent images to include

Very interesting to include a controversy section - this can be expanded to discuss how Covid impacts the Gum Wall / Seattle tourism

Tone and Balance:

Overall tone is neutral and informative

Sources:

Sources seem reliable but not necessarily up to date - early 2000's is not current

Majority of sources are outdated - look for Gum Wall recognition and information from the last 5 years - I am sure things have changed

I've also included some suggested sources (check SG notes above on article copy)

Organization:

Article is well written and organized - with the suggestions it may become more enhanced and reorganization might be considered

Images and Media:

Article contains a few images and media sources

Media sources are also out dated and do not include images from recent years (last 5 years)

Consider including a picture of certain people / events at the gum wall - if there are any it would be worthwhile looking into (wiki approved of course)

You can also visit the gum wall yourself and take pictures so that you are able to use (since you would be the owner of the image it would be approved)

Overall Impressions:

Overall, this was a really unique article to choose and so close to home for all of us! I am surprised there wasn't more content about the Gum Wall from previous writers, its such a big part of Seattle's history and tourism. I am confident that you will be able to find some more recent sources and utilize those to enhance the article. I think you are going to make some good changes and I hope you found my edits / peer review helpful!

Good luck!