Councillors OK moving canoe sculpture to near Johnson Street Bridge

Bastion Square’s Commerce Canoe sculpture will be moved to the foot of the Johnson Street Bridge.

Victoria councillors gave their blessing to a plan to relocate the Bastion Square artwork to the currently unfinished triangle island at the intersection of Wharf Street, Johnson Street and Pandora Avenue.

A new welcoming pole is to be erected at Bastion Square.

The relocated public art replaces the planned interactive sculpture depicting orcas re-imagined as 11 stylized surfboards that had been designed by former city artist in residence Luke Ramsey with Indigenous artist-in-residence Lindsay Delaronde.

That controversial artwork was met with mixed reviews when concept drawings were unveiled in December 2017.

City staff told councillors that detailed cost estimates had put the orca art installation at between $100,000 and $200,000 over the $250,000 budget for the bridge’s public art component.

Commerce Canoe will be replaced at Bastion Square with a 30-foot welcoming pole to be carved on site by First Nations artist Tom LaFortune.

The Bastion Square Revitalization Association has been looking to relocate the Commerce Canoe sculpture by Illarion Gallant to make space for the welcome pole, which is to be paid for from the Bastion Square Public Market Fund.

Councillors also agreed to a $155,000 design competition for art that would use some of the steel from the old bridge.

Victoria councillors we’re effusive in their praise of staff Thursday for coming up with a plan for public art for the new bridge.

“I think this is excellent work that will revitalize at least three or more public spaces depending on what comes back from the design competition,” said Coun. Jeremy Loveday.

“I’m very excited to see movement forward with options to creatively use the steel from the old Blue Bridge. I think there’s a lot of nostalgia and warm feelings about that piece of infrastructure and this will be a way to create a legacy of that project,” he said, adding the new welcome pole will be “an incredible addition” to Bastion Square.

Mayor Lisa Helps called the approach “great creative problem solving.”

“Staff listened to the community. Staff were also fiscally prudent. We know the bridge project was a very expensive one and when you saw the art was over budget you brought that back to us,” Helps said.

“You also honoured Indigenous culture and tradition and made that very visible in the downtown.”

Several councillors stressed that seating areas should be incorporated in triangle island area.

The work should be completed later this year.

Coun. Ben Isitt said in locating the welcoming pole in Bastion Square, urban design considerations should be given priority “ensuring it doesn’t interfere with people playing and enjoying and using the square.”

He called the placement and scope of the current Commerce Canoe artwork out of scale and “jarring.”

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