A new city art installation — budgeted to cost up to $20,000 — that celebrates gender identity and diversity is set to be placed in the Leigh Square Community Arts Village in Port Coquitlam.
Thursday, the city’s Healthy Community Committee is expected to OK the location for the Rainbow Public Art Project to go in the village’s southeast corner, by the fountain pool close to the Gathering Place.
The site for the LGBT2Q+ art piece, which has yet to be commissioned, comes after consultation with the city’s parks, operations, planning and facility services divisions.
Staff want the art to be in a high-profile — and accessible — public place where there is a low risk for vandalism, according to a report that goes before the committee, headed by by Coun. Glenn Pollock, on June 28.
Having it in Leigh Square also eliminates the need to pour concrete bases for the installation, which would have cost up to $10,000, the report notes.
Three of the nine sites considered were: the Gates Park promenade; Elks Park, along the Donald walkway; and the Donald walkway, at the Wilson Avenue entry.
Set to go up next summer, PoCo’s Rainbow Public Art Project comes as many B.C. municipalities are considering — or painting — rainbow crosswalks to show community inclusivity: Coquitlam’s went in by city hall in March (with a large social media backlash prior to its installation) while Port Moody is currently eyeing NewPort Village.
Last week, Surrey’s Pride crosswalk, which went in June 14, was defaced with white paint splatters — a week before the June 30 Pride party at Holland Park. And earlier this month, Courtenay’s new rainbow crosswalk was damaged with tire marks a day before it was painted.
New Westminster’s rainbow way on Columbia Street was also defaced with white paint after it went in, in 2015.
