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First public art installment unveiled in Fort McMurray

PHOTO. Fort McMurrays first piece of public art, Reflections on the River, is located on the MacDonald Island Causeway. Melanie Walsh. REPORTER.

The regions first community selected public art piece, Reflections on the River was unveiled on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.

Nestled near the confluence of the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers, the permanent installation represents our region’s rich heritage, culture and people.

In 2015, the Public Art Committee and the Municipality hosted public engagement sessions to select a site within the urban service area and choose an artists design.

From 2016 to 2017, the committee worked with contract negotiation and collaborated with artist, David Robinson who then manufactured the piece.

Robinson told MyMcMurray more about the designing the piece,

“It was really a response to the site, the land, the river and the sky, all of those things a work of art really had to relate to and play off of and integrate with,” said Robinson.

Standing 20 feet high the piece is made from weathering steel and cast bronze elements protecting it from the elements.

The total cost of the project was about $375,000 including site preparation, artist fee, manufacturing, transportation and installation, which was funded from the public art reserve fund under the Municipal public art policy.