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Steel from old Johnson Street rail bridge could go to auction for art projects

A steel section of the old Johnson Street rail bridge, set aside for its public art potential, could be going to auction. The city has been approached by several groups interested in acquiring the steel for “legacy” art projects, city staff say.
Photo - Johnson Street Bridge rail span
Rail span of the old Johnson Street Bridge being dismantled in March 2012.

A steel section of the old Johnson Street rail bridge, set aside for its public art potential, could be going to auction.

The city has been approached by several groups interested in acquiring the steel for “legacy” art projects, city staff say.

One of the difficulties, though, is that much of the steel, sitting in the city public works yard, is coated with old lead paint.

City staff are recommending the steel be auctioned off on an “as is ,where is” basis to any interested party.

“This option poses the least administrative costs and risks to the city and is considered a fair and transparent manner to dispose of surplus material,” a staff report says.

“I don’t think it’s going to be a high-value item in terms of the offers that we get,” said Mayor Lisa Helps.

Council has already approved installation of an interactive sculpture depicting orcas reimagined as 11 stylized surfboards for bridge’s public art component.

The $250,000 sculpture is being created by city artist-in-residence Luke Ramsey in collaboration with city Indigenous artist-in-residence Lindsay Delaronde. It is being designed to be interactive and will offer the opportunity to play recordings of First Nations drumming and singing.

The sculpture is to be on a triangle island created as the road splits on the eastern approach to the bridge.

The city’s policy is that as much as one per cent of construction costs can be donated to public art, when any “exceptional, significant civic projects” are being built.

bcleverley@timescolonist.com