Public art will be prominent at and around the Evergreen Line stations in the Tri-Cities.
Port Moody has a sub-committee now working on creative options for its two stations and, this week, Coquitlam issued a call for volunteers to step forward for its new Evergreen Line Public Art Task Force.
Last month, city council approved use of $50,000 in casino revenues from the Community Capital Fund to staff and fund the new task force, which will offer recommendations to council on the choice of public art and its locations over a three-year term. Public art could be included in seating, paving, signage and lighting, for example, or be freestanding pieces.
The move comes after the provincial government indicated it would contribute up to $75,000 per station for public art at Evergreen stations. Coquitlam has four stations to be built by summer 2016 - Burquitlam, Coquitlam Central, Lincoln) and Lafarge Lake-Douglas - while Port Moody has two: Moody Centre and Inlet Centre.
Coun. Neal Nicholson, chair of the city's arts and culture advisory committee, which endorsed the task force, said public art not only improves the area but it can also be an effective anti-crime tool. For instance, utility box wraps have decreased graffiti tags in neighbourhoods, he said.
Candidates wanting to serve on the Coquitlam task force should be city residents who have some connection to the arts, are part of a neighbourhood group and/or live close to the future line. To apply, download the form at www.coquitlam.ca and submit no later than Wednesday, May 29.
Other Coquitlam news:
A retaining wall for the new Burke Mountain fire station will be slightly higher than planned.
On Monday, city council approved a development variance permit to increase the height of the wall that surrounds the rescue training area from 2.4 m to 3.3 m at 3501 David Ave.
Fire Chief Tony Delmonico said the permit was needed to accommodate the turning radius for the fire trucks - especially the ladder vehicles.
The taller structure has been approved by a geotechnical engineer and will be built behind the hall using on-site boulders with a guardrail on top.
Construction on the two-storey fire station is set to start this month; it is expected to be open by September 2014.
Some 20,000 more residents are expected to call Burke Mountain home over the next 20 years.
