THUNDER BAY — The City of Thunder Bay is asking for the public's input to help select public art installations for the North Core Street Scape project.
It is anticipated the selected art will be unveiled next year.
Four works of art have been selected as finalists, for two locations — Court Street Plaza and Mall Street Plaza. Court Street Plaza is the section of the street scape area by Court Street and Red River Road and the Mall Street Plaza is the walkway area running between Red River Road the Gateway Casino parking lot on Park Avenue.
Laurie Abthorpe, Cultural Development and public art coordinator with the City of Thunder Bay, said an open call to artists was initiated, where artists were invited to submit proposals to be featured in the north core.
People can give their thoughts online until Dec. 20.
“We are also doing two public engagement sessions that are in person. One is happening on Dec. 12 from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Mary J.L. Black Library and then again on Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Goods and Co. Market," said Abthorpe. “Those public engagement sessions will have some information boards about these submissions for people to look at and also have hard copies of the survey to fill in as well.”
Abthorpe said this is not a voting situation.
“We're looking for feedback on what the public likes and dislikes about each of the pieces. That feedback will be taken into consideration when the jury makes their final selections.”
It’s important for the community to have public art, Abthorpe noted.
“Public art gives us an opportunity to express our community, our values," she said. “It gives an opportunity to add dimension to our civic spaces and engage conversation and make it a place where people are welcome and feel welcome."
Visit the website to read about and view the submissions and provide feedback.
