City council is planning to implement a new policy that will dictate how the city deals with left over carvings from the annual Transformations on the Shore competition.
The majority of the carvings not purchased or donated to local businesses, are located on city property.
Some of the sculptures, though, are aging and are weathered and deteriorating and council isn’t sure what to do with them.
“Several of the carvings have fallen into a state of disrepair due to a lack of maintenance,” wrote Elle Brovold, the city’s property manager, in a report to the city’s Community Services, Recreation and Culture Commission which provides guidance to council on community issues.
“In an effort to address this issue, city staff have determined that an internal policy that outlines the responsibilities of the (Shoreline Arts) Society and the city and the processes for dealing with the disposal or retention of the carvings (is necessary).”
The policy would apply to all Transformations on the Shore carvings that live on city-owned property and would be implemented in partnership with the Shoreline Arts Society which oversees the annual Frank James Park carving competition.
The city’s public art committee would be responsible for periodically reviewing carvings on city land to determine whether specific pieces are suitable for disposal or removal.
The city would work with the Shoreline Arts Society, which has an expert maintenance team, to confirm whether a carving should be repaired, moved or destroyed.
Reasons for allowing a carving to be removed or repaired would include:
- The good condition or security of the carving cannot be reasonably guaranteed.
- The carving requires excessive maintenance or repair.
- The carving endangers public safety.
- There have been significant changes in the use, character or design of the location of the carving which affect the integrity of the carving.
- Adverse public reaction has continued over a long period of time.
- The quality of the carving is debatable.
- Removal is requested by the Shoreline Arts Society.
- The carving site is no longer accessible to the public or the spot is to be re-developed.
The issue of what to do with council’s carving inventory has been ongoing for many years.
In the summer of 2012, the council of the day decided to establish an annual $5,000 carving maintenance budget to maintain the city’s carvings on a regular basis.
The Community Services, Recreation and Culture Commission was tasked by that council with keeping an ongoing inventory and to help monitor the allocation of the carvings.