Two years after artists colourfully and creatively decorated over 30 pieces of downtown infrastructure, they are preparing to enhance nearly 40 more items to help expand the area’s walking art tour.
In 2021, the Downtown Moose Jaw Association (DMJA) sponsored artists Carly Jaye Smith, Kayla Hanson and Maguire Sotnikow with the Moose Jaw Kinsmen Creative Kids Downtown Project to create kid-friendly designs and paint them onto public spaces.
The trio painted 33 municipal assets — such as benches, garbage receptacles, electrical boxes and fire hydrants — throughout the area, all of which contributed to the association’s family-friendly downtown walking art tour.
The organization provides a free map of all the artworks’ locations on its website.
The DMJA approached the city’s public art committee this past September and proposed adding 37 more art pieces to the downtown by painting more city-owned benches, electrical boxes and garbage cans, according to the meeting minutes.
Committee members and administration discussed the details of the proposal, including having further consultation between the committee and downtown business owners. Also discussed was a formal agreement between the association and the city for the maintenance of the items to be painted.
The committee then forwarded a motion to city council’s Oct. 10 regular meeting urging that the project be approved.
Council voted unanimously to approve the association’s request to expand the walking art tour pending city administration’s review of the proposed locations. Further, the association will look after the material and installation costs, city administration will create an installation and maintenance agreement for the projects and the mayor and city clerk will sign the agreement on behalf of the municipality.
“This is great to see this,” Coun. Crystal Froese said.
Derek Blais, director of parks and recreation, said the association plans to complete the project in 2024.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Oct. 23.
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