Ottawa South Community Centre Expansion Project
Public Art Commission Meeting
March 24, 2010
1:30-3pm, 100 Constellation [City of Ottawa]
Project Team:
Anthony Leaning-Architect
Phillip Piazza- Project Manager, City of Ottawa
Patrick Legaul-Planner & Project Manager, Parks and Rec
Sandra Mirabelli, Project Lead, Community Arts Program Coordinator, Cultural Services
Cathie Buchanan, Centre Director, Ottawa South CC
Donna Lordon, Ottawa South Community Association member
Nancy Burgoyne-Cultural Planner, Community Arts Program, Cultural Services
Overview by Sandra Mirabelli via PowerPoint presentation of the City’s Public Art Program:
The commission process, Percent for Art policy, budget breakdown of a public art commission, jury process, timelines, etc. Opportunities for community involvement in public art commissions also shown and discussed, such as the Huron Early Learning Centre commission, and the ‘Vision Weave’ project at Albion-Heatherington Recreation Centre, and Community Art’s C4 Gallery project, plus examples of benches and bike racks created by artists.
Sandra: average timeline of public art projects: 6-8 months, including 6 weeks for artists to put together their proposals after a Call for Proposals goes out to the community, thus looking at spring 2011 for installation of art in Ottawa South CC’s case.
Budget: $26,700 total, approximately $18K for the artist commission
Action: Sandra to create a draft budget –which outlines artist commission for inclusion in the Call to Artists
Discussion on Potential Sites for public art:
Exterior:
Courtyard in front of new expansion, facing out to Sunnyside Avenue (sitting area with benches requested by OSCA in the design). Left of courtyard is a lay-up for cars; steel bollards will separate this area from courtyard. Extra footing installations would not likely be covered, since the contractor will be completed their work by this spring. Planters and benches, and a fence of metal and wood surround the courtyard. Benches are already in contract, and budgeted for $1k each, however one of the benches could be moved down to Fairbairn St. to allow for an artist-made bench in the courtyard.
Pergola structure in left of courtyard could also be a possibility for public art.
Interior:
Front lobby to have built-in display cabinets (for ceramics, trophies, historical memorabilia, etc) a creative artist could ‘frame’ the cabinets with a public art creation, or possibilities for public art in the wall of the stairwell area or a treatment of the stair railings of the stair itself. Donna noted that there is a plan to hang with photos of volunteers, etc on an area of the foyer wall. Philip noted that since this commission is after construction, without the possibility of integration into the construction, a hanging object for the foyer ceiling would only be possible if the work was lightweight (i.e. fabric/tapestry), which would entail maintenance re: cleaning the material (discussion of responsibility, and frequency of such maintenance).
Decision: Consensus to leave the call open to both the courtyard and the lobby area.
Timelines:
April/early May: artists could do a ‘walk-through’ (hard hat & boots) for the artists’ info session, after initial call has gone out, if possible, with timing of current construction. Or we could push back the Call to Artists in order to allow for the information session to occur after the completion of the building.
Decision: Push back the call to artists by approximately one month (late May)
Action items for Call and Terms of Reference Documents: Due Date: Wednesday, April 7
ACTION: Donna to provide Weblinks from OSCA regarding history and information on the original fire station building and neighbourhood.
ACTION:
Cathy and Donna to provide info on the Ottawa South CC’s vision, description of the centre and its activities (no more than one paragraph).
ACTION:
Anthony to provide architectural plan images for the building with image for the lobby and courtyard area.
Provide a 3D video link.