Crews began installing the new public artwork in the middle of the Vedder Bridge roundabout on Tuesday.
The piece features a canoe atop a stainless steel ring, supported by eight upright paddles. It was assembled on site and hoisted into place that day, but there’s still more work to be done.
Following Tuesday’s work, concrete will be poured for the foundation and lighting will be installed. In July, landscaping will complete the project which honours the Ts’elxwéyeqw and Stó:lō history of the area.
The piece was designed co-operatively by Squiala First Nation Chief David Jimmie and Coast Salish artist Bonny Graham, in consultation with the Stó:lō Nation Chiefs Council and Ts’elxwéyeqw Tribe. The work was completed by State of the Art Concepts in the Cowichan Valley, owned by Challen Clark.
The $255,000 contract for the Vedder Bridge roundabout artwork project was awarded to State of the Art Concepts Ltd. at Chilliwack city hall in February, and the city funds have been kept in reserve from the bridge rebuilding budget, and do not represent a new cost.
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– files from Jennifer Feinberg