The city of the arts wants to know how its residents feel about public art.
Port Moody is inviting feedback on its draft master plan for art in public spaces. The plan is a guide for the future direction, philosophies, policies and priorities for public art in the city. It will also help identify potential opportunities for public art as well as outline procedures and funding strategies for implementing a public art program.
“Public art is an important city-building tool,” said a press release from the city. “It helps to make Port Moody interesting and beautiful, enhances civic pride, and encourages us to celebrate our rich history.”
The city currently has several examples of public art, many of them incorporated into natural surroundings like Dan Bushnell’s sculpture of “Herons,” as well as integrated into the streetscape, like Clive Tucker’s “Hidden Encounters” that is carved into the end pillars of a footbridge.
The draft plan proposes the creation of an interdepartmental team to manage and support a public art program in the city that would organize community projects like street banners, public art from private developers, temporary and street art as well as art activations like street performers and artists in the park initiatives, and civic public art.
According to the draft plan, several sites in the city should be prioritized for public art, including: its various entry points; Queen Street plaza; Rocky Point Park; the Moody Centre neighbourhood that surrounds the SkyTrain station; Westport and the former Flavelle saw mill that is slated for redevelopment.
Comments and questions about the draft plan are being collected on Port Moody’s public engagement online portal, engage.portmoody.ca, until March 3.
