A new sculpture in front of Port Moody city hall toots the arrival of the first intercontinental train to the city more than 100 years ago.
And the public artwork that forms part of the city's Art in Motion theme comes as the municipality prepares to welcome yet another large-scale transportation project: the Evergreen Line.
"SkyTrain is coming and, once again, Port Moody is ready for some change," said Vancouver artist Bruce Voyce, whose sculpture Tidal Train also combines the local elements of the Port Moody Inlet (waves) and nature (a deer).
Mayor Mike Clay said Voyce's handmade interactive sculpture was selected out of some 50 entries during a public call in 2012 for a landmark piece in the Civic Centre traffic circle.
The entries came in from across Canada, the United States, the Philippines and the United Kingdom.
A panel that included a city arts and culture committee member as well as three Port Moody residents shortlisted six applicants - including two from Toronto and Oregon - and interviewed the candidates about their design proposals, with Voyce winning the bid for the site-specific work.
Made of stainless steel, Tidal Train stands 22' tall and 16' long and weighs about 3,000 pounds. Its engine can be turned by hand, using a green-coloured dial near the base.
Funding for the $85,500 project came from the city's public artwork reserve - with contributions from local developers - plus another $10,000 for the solar night lights.
"To see it standing here is almost like a dream come true," Voyce said at the unveiling last Wednesday with members of city council, fellow artists and groups of children involved with city-run summer programs.
Besides Tidal Train, the award-winning artist has created a number of massive public sculptures over the past five years in the Lower Mainland including The Page Turner in Abbotsford, the Lamina Aqua and The Lightwave in North Vancouver, The Garden Project in Burnaby and Vancouver, and the Cameron Park Dragon Project and Time Carriage in Burnaby.
In 2008, he installed the cyclist sculpture at the base of Burnaby Mountain for the bicycle skills park. His work has also been presented at the Burning Man Festival in Nevada as well as in Taiwan and Japan.
jwarren@tricitynews.com
