By Leah Murray

Council votes against public art recommendation for the Canalta Centre

Mar 5, 2018 | 8:44 PM

MEDICINE HAT – Monday night City Council spent a good portion of the meeting debating the purchase of additional public art for the Canalta Centre.

The city’s Public Art Policy policy dictates one percent or $100,000, whichever is less, of the cost of new public buildings be set aside to purchase public art.

Requests for proposals would then be put out and the Public Art Committee, comprised of community members, would select the final art.

In the case of the Canalta Centre, the committee wasn’t consulted on the installation of the James Marshall brick mural that greets event goes inside the main entrance.

HERE'S WHAT TO KNOW

Summer pool hours extended and discounts applied as Big Marble Go Centre upgrades start

Apr 18, 2024

Medicine Hat company drawing in clients with witty signage

Apr 16, 2024

Medicine Hat College holding event for missing and murdered Indigenous women awareness day

Apr 16, 2024

The mural cost only $72,000 leaving a remaining $28,000 in the art fund for the building.

At the time city council directed the Public Art Committee to find an additional piece of art for the remaining money.

Twice the city put out a request for proposal and both times the city said there were no suitable art pieces.

The committee then started actively searching out art and, three years later, has made the recommendation to purchase two granite buffalo statues created by Stewart Steinhauer.

The motion went before council Monday sparking debate, but not about the art itself.

Councillor Kris Samraj said he doesn’t believe the Public Art Committee should have been bypassed in the first place in the purchase of the James Marshall mural. However, he also said the art should be an integral part of the building and not just for the sake of having art.

“It’s more of an afterthought I think from what they were able to do with that money there and I know they struggled to find a suitable piece there,”

Instead he proposed the money be placed into the Public Art Acquisition Reserve, which commissioner Brian Mastel indicated already has a balance of around $100,000.

“I don’t think they realized that they could put the $28,000 in a reserve fund for public art elsewhere in the city, so I think it was the best decision for right now.”

Councillor Julie Friesen disagreed with the motion, saying it was the intention all along to have additional public art located at the Canalta Centre.

“The committee was tasked, over two years ago with finding a piece or pieces of public art,” Friesen explained. “After their two years plus of work it was overturned and I just feel it was late in the game. If they hadn’t been asked to do that in the first place it would be a different matter.”

Mayor Ted Clugston said going into the meeting, he was on board with purchasing the statues with the remaining money, but after the debate he changed his position.

“I think what was controversial is that ‘oh, we’ve got $28,000, so lets spend it’ and I think in this economic time, that to me is the most controversial part,” said Clugston. “That spending money to spend money.”

Councillors said this decision was not about the art itself, that they appreciate all the effort put in by the Public Art Committee, but that at the end of the day most felt it wasn’t a necessary investment.

“It wasn’t meant as disrespect, it was just meant as fiscal prudence,” said Clugston.