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Home My WebLink AboutDSD-2021-004 - Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre Public ArtREPORT TO: Committee of the Whole DATE OF MEETING: January 25, 2021 SUBMITTED BY: Emily Robson,Manager, Arts & Creative Industries,519-741-2200 ext. 7084 PREPARED BY: Karoline Varin, Public Programs Administrator,Arts & Creative Industries, 519-741-2200ext.7912 WARD (S) INVOLVED: 4 DATE OF REPORT:December 16, 2020 REPORT NO.: DSD-21-004 SUBJECT: Doon Pioneer Park Community CentrePublic Art _______________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That the commission and installationof artwork at DoonPioneer Park Community Centre, titled “Outdoor Community”, be approved; and further, That the Mayor and Clerk be authorizedto execute an agreement, satisfactory to the City Solicitor, with Bennet Oh, Jinsu Park and Ethan Schwartz(OPS Design Studio), outlining the obligations of the community centre public art commission. REPORT HIGHLIGHTS: The purpose of this report is to request authorizationto enter into a legal agreement with the artist team to execute a public art commissionat DoonPioneer Park Community Centre The financial implications: this public art project is funded at the $29,000 level in accordance with Public Art Policy I-816. $26,500 is provided for the commissioned artwork. The remainder of $2500 from these funds will be allocated towards the estimated cost of administration, installation, and signage with an additional $2500 allocation from the public art capital account. Community engagement included feedback from community centre staff and area residents, a call for proposals, a juried selection process, consultations with city staff from Parks and Cemeteries (Design and Development), the Grand River Accessibility Committee and MTE Consultants Inc. (a multidisciplinary engineering firm). This report supports the deliveryof core services. BACKGROUND: The City of Kitchener’s public art program installs site-specific works throughout the city. These art works represent a wide variety of styles and materials, with a preference for innovation, responsiveness to the site, low-maintenance and durability. Public art is usually created in conjunction with new major construction or renovation of facilities such as libraries, community centres, fire stations, parking garages, and other city-owned buildings to which the public has access. The goal of the public art policy is to contribute to the City’s cultural identity and its *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994for assistance. 3 - 1 strategic priorities. Some of the intended benefits is a better quality of life, increased social cohesion, good urban design, broad community involvement and public access to the arts. TheDoon Pioneer Park Community Centreproject is eligible for public art through the City of Kitchener’s public art/percent for art program, guided by Public Art Policy I-816. Through this mechanism, 1% of the construction cost is allocated for the acquisition of public art. In 2019- 2020, the community centre underwent arenovation and expansion of its indoor and outdoor spaces. The renovation allowed for the creation of an outdoor grassy area, divided by a sidewalk into two sectionslocated at the front of the building. The proposed public art installation would be located onone of these grassy sections. One of the key priorities for the renovation wasto accommodate a bigger space for the community to gather with friends and neighbours.The renovation included the addition of several additional meeting and programming spaces, a second large gymnasium, a spacious lobby and seating areaand a new water splash pad in front of the building. The centre is truly becoming the hub of community activity in the Doon area. REPORT: Competition Through discussion with community centre staff about community aspirationsforthe new outdoor space,it wasidentifiedthatthe artwork should: offer neighbours theopportunity to gatherto enjoy various activities; and create an inviting, comfortable and welcoming space for visitors to make their own. Anticipated uses include playing on the splash pad, readingbooks from the library, enjoying a coffee with neighbours.As a result, project stakeholders identified a need for creative outdoor seating thatcombines functionality and sculptural aesthetic that would visually complement the new façade of the buildingand support the identified needs. A one-stage public art competition was announced in June 2019.Nine applicants were considered by the jury and one selected in December 2019. Jury members wereartist and Public Art Working Group member, Sumaira Tazeen,artists Ernest Daetwyler and Michelle Purchase, project partners Natascha Voll and Brigid Loveday, Councillor Christine Michaud, and citizens at large Jean Haalboom and Yvonne Fernandes from the Doon Pioneer Park Community Association. The jury selected the proposal “Outdoor Community” (Appendix “A”) by Bennet Oh, Jinsu Park and Ethan Schwartz,as the winning entry. Following the jury process, Arts and Creative Industries consulted with city staff and the Grand River Accessibility Committee, to clarify questions raised by the jury concerning materials and accessibility. In addition, site visits were required by the artist team to finalize the design. This process wassignificantly delayed by the pandemic. The jury’s selection was supported in a motion by the Public Art Working Group at its meeting on December 14, 2020,followed by an endorsement by the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee on January 19, 2021. Winning Proposal The selected artist team - Bennett Oh, Jinsu Park and Ethan Schwartz – are recent graduates of the University of Waterloo School of Architecture who have been collaborating in various projects together as OPS Design Studio. The team delivers competitions and design build 3 - 2 projects from conceptualization to construction. Theirmultidisciplinary interests, and appreciation for craft, composition and detail make themdistinct designers in the field. The team designed a benchforone of the grassy areas in front of the centre. The bench follows a natural undulating path that creates smaller interconnected seating areas. Visitors can sit while supervisingtheir children playing in the splash pador enjoy a quiet moment of rest.Conversely, the bench becomespremade seating for coordinated activitiesfacing inwards when there are group events. Having neither a front nor back, the bench’s multi-various curvatures lend themselves to creative interpretations.The proposed bench fulfills accessibility requirements of height and width, with armrests added for extra support. Sectionsof the bench are also located closer to the concrete surround to accommodate users with mobility challenges. The juryconcluded that the dynamic design of the bench will resonate with the community that uses the facilityand offers both opportunities forsocial interaction and semi-private reflection. Further, the juryappreciated the use of natural materials, enhancing the grounding experience offered by the bench. The jury also observed that the artwork’saesthetic compliment other elements of the site, in particular,by enhancing some of the splashpad’ssteel sculptural fixtures. Location The Doon Pioneer Park Community centre is inthe southwest corner of the city at 150 Pioneer Park Drive.The centre is a neighbourhood hub which welcomes more than 20,000 residents to partake of its amenities. A local branch of the Kitchener Public Library is located within the building. The outdoor benchwill be located on the property’s “front lawn”, nestled between the building and the new splash pad. Project stakeholders imagine visitors using the installation as part of the space: a rest area to compliment the use of the splash padand avenue to extend the centre’s programming through outdoor programs, concerts, and much more. Installation The artwork will be installed when outdoor conditions are appropriate in the spring/early summer of 2021. An alternative installation time isfall 2021. The city will be responsible for installation, working with the artist team on exact placement. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic vision through the delivery of core service. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: This public art project is funded at the $29,000 level in accordance with Public Art Policy I-816. $26,500 is provided for the commissioned artwork. The remainder of $2500 from thesefunds will be allocated towardsthe estimated cost of administration, installation, and signage with an additional $2500 allocation from the public art capital account. 3 - 3 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM -Advertised, public call for proposals; -This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting; -Community residents provided feedback on the use of the site to community centre staff, which was included in the call for proposals; CONSULT -Furthermore,ArtsandCreativeIndustriesstaffconsultedwithcitystafffromParksand Cemeteries(DesignandDevelopment),theGrandRiver Accessibility Committeeand MTEConsultants Inc. (a multidisciplinaryengineeringfirm)regardingtheinstallation, materials,durability,construction,maintenanceandaccessibilityofthepublicartwork; COLLABORATE -Public Art Working Group monitors the public art program, including providing input on the competition, feedback on the call for submissions, and siting; ENTRUST -A jury of artists and community members selected the successful applicantteamby consensus. APPROVEDBY: Justin Readman, General Manager, DSD ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A 3 - 4 APPENDIX “A” D oon Pioneer Park Community Centre Public Art/OUTDOOR COMMUNITY 3 - 5 2020.12.26 Kitchener, ON FINAL DESIGN FOR APPROVAL DPP COMMUNITY CENTRE SCULPTURAL BENCH 3 - 6 DECEMBER 26, 2020 ETHAN SCHWARTZ Currently completing his M.Arch at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture with a focus on new eco-friendly building materials. Industry experience had helped him to become skilled in both handcrafting and digital fabrication at a variety of project scales. DPP CITY COMMUNITY CENTRE SCULPTURAL BENCH 2 JINSU PARK DESIGN TEAM Since graduating from University of Waterloo School of Architecture in 2018, Jinsu has been working at KPMB Architects as a Junior Designer. With interests in form, technologies with traditional craftsmanship. BENNETT OH Bennett is an award-winning designer known for his landscape and architectural design. His past experience BIG and OMA, where he engaged in numerous conceptual and built works around the globe. 3-7 DECEMBER 26, 2020 DPP CITY COMMUNITY CENTRE SCULPTURAL BENCH 3 SITE + CONCEPT 3-8 DECEMBER 26, 2020 SITE PHOTOS (AUGUST 2020) DPP CITY COMMUNITY CENTRE SCULPTURAL BENCH 4 3-9 DECEMBER 26, 2020 DESIGN PRINCIPLES DPP CITY COMMUNITY CENTRE SCULPTURAL BENCH 5 3- 10 SITE PLAN DECEMBER 26, 2020 DPP CITY COMMUNITY CENTRE SCULPTURAL BENCH 6 3- 11 RENDER DECEMBER 26, 2020 DPP CITY COMMUNITY CENTRE SCULPTURAL BENCH 7 RENDERING BY MORETHANVIZ.* 3- 12 RENDER DECEMBER 26, 2020 DPP CITY COMMUNITY CENTRE SCULPTURAL BENCH 8 RENDERING BY MORETHANVIZ.* 3- 13 DECEMBER 26, 2020 DPP CITY COMMUNITY CENTRE SCULPTURAL BENCH 9 RENDERING BY MORETHANVIZ.* 3- 14 RENDER DECEMBER 26, 2020 DPP CITY COMMUNITY CENTRE SCULPTURAL BENCH 10 RENDERING BY MORETHANVIZ.* 3- 15