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CHURCHILL AVENUE

We are pleased to have been one of the four finalists for the $100,000.00 Public Art Proposal considered for the Churchill Avenue Reconstruction in Westboro, Ottawa.

The four finalists for the art installation that will accompany the Churchill Avenue reconstruction were on display tonight. I stopped by and let me just start off by saying I don’t know art at all though I like what I like and I dislike what I dislike, like anyone does I suppose. The art is all headed to the Churchill/Byron intersection, south-east corner, except for one that has a second piece on the north-east corner.
I filled out a comment card with positive statements for one finalist. To the other three I say well done, I just have different tastes.

I’ll start with my favourite. Ravek Glass Art

This installation is four simple panels, 8 feet high, arranged in a W, for Westboro of course. The panels are metal and the glass is custom made to reflect the four seasons. The whole thing is itself on a concrete base in a leaf shape. The artists asked for it to be surrounded by greenery but the City wants it on a zero-maintenance pad. Hopefully that means pavers at least.

The reason I like this one is the cutouts on the bottom of the panels are 3-feet high, perfect for little kids to find a reason to play in. It will be installed next to a sidewalk. I can picture quite a few weaving walks as kids wander to and from school each day. Art doesn’t have to be designed as interactive to be interactive.

Also, and this is subjective, the art doesn’t take any effort to interpret. It’s simple and stylish.

Kevin O’Donnell, Deputy Leader of the Green Party