Dear Editor:
RE: Committee ready to abandon sculpture project to honour Jack R. MacDonald, June 10.
I write to correct a false impression left by last week’s article on the Elora Sculpture Project, and the interview with David Cross. I am not the chair of the Elora Fergus Arts Council, but chair of the council’s committee of Art in Public Places.
As a sculptor and keen on the heritage of Elora, I was in touch with the township tourism staff, looking for possible funding for a sculpture of Thomas and John Connon, historic Elora photographers, which I might complete with friends but which would need to be cast in bronze to be donated as a permanent outdoor tribute to the Connons, father and son.
Somehow this project got confused with the applications for the project to honour Elora benefactor, Jack R. MacDonald. This confusion projected that I must be a part of the Elora Sculpture Project (ESP) group, of which David Cross, the present chair, speaks in your article. I state here clearly, and it was clarified by Dorothy Smith at the last Community Service Advisory Committee (CSAC) meeting, that I am not in any way a part of the ESP group, except that I admire them, and have had a number of sculptures in their annual displays.
In dealing with these confusions, I came to be aware of the difficulties facing the MacDonald sculpture project. The contract (posted with the agenda) clearly states that the placement of the sculpture must be agreed upon as a first step. Through my volunteer work with the Elora Fergus Arts Council (Art in Public Places Committee), as well as my sculpture experience, I agreed totally with David Cross’ group (ESP) that the placement of the sculpture should not be at the Mill Street walking bridge as was recommended by township staff and CSAC. Further, the Elora Fergus Arts Council offered to express our support for the ESP’s committee choice of placement, either in Victoria Park or one of the other sites they suggest. To be clear, we had no intention of making an application ourselves to the MacDonald sculpture fund.
The sculpture should be a momento and tribute for us, the citizens of Elora, and not an object for the tourists of Mill Street. It is meant to honour MacDonald, but is not necessarily of MacDonald himself. The site chosen by staff and the CSAC committee at the north end of the bridge is not conducive to the viewing of a good sculptural piece. There is too much distraction and not enough room to walk around the sculpture and see it in three dimensions. The suggested land at the south end of the walking bridge in Pearle property is also not suitable.
This project should be rethought, with more definition and alternatives. Greater flexibility. Dorothy Smith will make a complete report at the next CSAC meeting, and we hope the project will survive.
As citizens of Elora, we are grateful to MacDonald for his generosity and we would like to express that through a beautiful sculpture placed where it enhances, and is central to, our daily lives.
Beverley Cairns,
Elora