The Elora Arts Centre has proposed hanging art on the piers that once supported the old Victoria Street pedestrian bridge over the Grand River.
Phil Irish, the curator at the Arts Centre, took his proposal to the economic development committee, which supported it. The plan would be to have Guelph area artist Janet Morton create a mesh and decorate with lace doilies that appear like giant snowflakes.
That committee sent the matter to council’s committee of the whole on Monday.
Irish said Morton is well known in Canada and the U.S. and he showed slides of her work where she decorated a cottage with quilt patches into the shape of a tea cozy, and also a building she wrapped in pink.
He said Morton would use five heavy cables across the Grand River and lay a mesh over the piers on them. Irish said the lace-like decorations would be heavily concentrated in the middle and get sparser at either end of the bridge to avoid enticing people to try to cross on it.
He has already approached the Elora BIA, the Grand River Conservation Authority, Public Works and Centre Wellington Hydro. He said the utility is willing to help string the cables, provide lights at either end, and that will help light up the work at night.
He hoped to have the art work in place by May of next year, in time for the tourism season. Irish added magazines doing articles on the art work would probably mention other village attractions and thus promote the town.
He said the piece could be assembled with volunteers, and the utility’s help “makes this very do-able.”
Councillor Walt Visser said he thinks the concept is “a great idea” except he is concerned about the liability.
“Some fool is going to climb across,” said Visser.
Irish said there would be “major fences” at either end, and there would be no mesh at the end of the art on either side that could tempt people.
Councillor Mary Lloyd asked who would pay. Irish said Centre Wellington Hydro would cover its costs, and he is seeking grants to cover the material costs. Public Works Superintendent Les Davidson asked how the art would be attached.
Irish said they would be anchored at each end and not all the cables need to be attached to the piers. Those piers were left in the river to be re-used if the walking bridge is ever rebuilt.
Davidson said he would like to see how those attachments are made into the stone piers, and noted the township will be inspecting them this year.
Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj liked the project but was concerned about the GRCA. She said it is planning to rebuild the dam in Elora just downstream of the piers in 2012, and there might be conflicts.
“Do they know it’s next year? she asked.
She added the Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans will also have a say because the Grand River is considered a navigable waterway. She wondered if council should defer the issue.
Economic Development Manager Dave Rushton pointed out that when it comes to liability, there are fences built to keep people back from the edge of the gorge, but people could still try to climb up.
Ross-Zuj said, “It’s a wonderful project.”
Council then delegated Chief Administrative Officer Michael Wood to contact all the groups involved to answer all of council’s questions, and then bring a report back.
