ELORA – The Elora Sculpture Project (ESP) committee has decided to withdraw from an agreement with Centre Wellington Township to select a site, select an artist and commission a sculpture in Elora to honour the legacy of Jack R. MacDonald.
ESP committee chair David Cross told the township’s community services advisory committee (CSAC) on July 14 that the first step for the committee was to choose a site and that is where the project has been stalled for nearly two years.
Staff had recommended a statue at either the north or south end of the pedestrian bridge in Elora also named for MacDonald, the late businessman and philanthropist who gave millions to the village for community-minded projects over the years.
However, the ESP rejected those sites, stating they are too congested and visually cluttered.
ESP suggested two other sites – in Victoria Park or MacDonald Square – but the township deemed those inappropriate from a public safety and insurance standpoint.
The impasse, plus the fact the ESP committee has lost some key members, left the group seeking to terminate the agreement.
“We’re not in a position to make it happen,” Cross said. “There is no enthusiasm of the committee members to move it forward.
“We have no objection to some other group being awarded the funding.”
Cross added that ESP has a good relationship with township staff and wants to continue with its mandate to bring temporary sculptures to the township.
CSAC voted with regret to terminate the agreement with ESP but didn’t want that to be the end of the project.
Committee members discussed many options, including putting out a call for submissions themselves and approaching the Elora Centre for the Arts and the Elora-Fergus Arts Council for assistance.
“We need another organization to oversee it,” CSAC member Grayce Perry said, adding it’s a complicated process to put out a call for artists and to make a selection.
Councillor Neil Dunsmore, who also sits on CSAC, wondered if the matter could be set aside until COVID-19 is over and tourism and traffic patterns return to normal.
“There’s no time frame. I don’t see a reason why we should rush this,” he said.
“I’d like to see more of the south-Elora development to know what that will look like first.”
MacDonald gifted $3.436 million to the township to be used for projects in Elora. The township used $1.805 million to build the Victoria Street pedestrian bridge and the remaining $1.509 million was granted to other projects, with $25,000 earmarked for the MacDonald statue.
The committee agreed to “put a pin” in this issue for now and in the meantime, staff will explore interest from local arts groups.
All CSAC decisions are recommendations to council, with council making final decisions.
Council is expected to discuss the MacDonald sculpture later this month.
