HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-2025-263 - Kitchener Indoor Recreation Facility Public Artwork Commission
Development Services Department www.kitchener.ca
REPORT TO: Finance and Corporate Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: August 11, 2025
SUBMITTED BY: Andrea Hallam, Manager, Arts & Creative Industries
PREPARED BY: Elin Moorlag, Manager, Service Coordination & Improvement,
Community Services Department
WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 5
DATE OF REPORT: August 1, 2025
REPORT NO.: DSD-2025-263
SUBJECT: Kitchener Indoor Recreation Facility Public Artwork Commission
RECOMMENDATION:
That the commission and installation of a new artwork ÐGidinawendiminÑ by Jackie
Traverse, at the City of KitchenerÓs new indoor recreation complex at RBJ Schlegel
Park, be approved; and,
That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to implement an agreement, satisfactory to
the City Solicitor, with the artistsÓ representative, Highness Global Inc., outlining the
obligations of the facility public art commission.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The purpose of this report is to provide Council with a recommendation for a public art
commission for the Kitchener Indoor Recreation Complex.
The recommendation for this public art commission was made by a jury of Kitchener
arts professionals assembled for the purpose of selecting public art for the facility; the
recommendation by this jury has been unanimously endorsed by the CityÓs Arts &
Culture Advisory Committee
The financial implication is $320,000 from the consolidated public art account.
Community engagement included a diverse jury composition as well as consultation
with the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee and Public Art Working Group.
This report supports the delivery of core services through the 1% for Public Art Policy.
BACKGROUND:
City of KitchenerÓs public art program is focused on the selection and installation of site-
specific artworks at newly constructed facilities such as libraries, community centres, sports
and recreation facilities, fire stations, parking garages and other public civic buildings and
spaces. These artworks include permanent installations in a wide variety of styles and
materials, selected with the preference for artistic merit and innovation, site responsiveness,
public engagement and accessibility, durability and sustainability.
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
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KitchenerÓs forthcoming new indoor recreation complex is eligible for a public artwork
allotment through the City of KitchenerÓs percent for public art program, guided by the Public
Art Policy (GOV-COR-816). Once complete, this facility will be KitchenerÓs premier indoor
recreation destination, providing a diverse selection of recreational opportunities for
residents, including an aquatics centre with two pools, an indoor turf, two cricket practice
nets, a walking track, a quad gymnasium, multi-purpose rooms for community use and
dedicated team change rooms. The facility is expected to attract more than 570,000 visits
per year, including more than 100,000 event-related visitors.
T his facility will be the CityÓs first ever net-zero carbon sport and recreation building and one
of the most environmentally sustainable recreation facilities in Canada. Envisioned as a
sports venue where community comes together, this facility will serve as a gathering place,
thoughtfully designed to be comfortable, welcoming and accessible for the diverse needs of
Kitchener residents.
The open call for proposals that went out for this commission aimed to prioritize submissions
from underrepresented artists, including those by artists of Indigenous background. The
proposal submission process allowed artists to self-identify as a member of an equity-
deserving group, including but not limited to, Indigenous identity, racialized people,
immigrants and refugees, women, 2SLGBTQ+ identified, and people living with disabilities.
While the open public art call was underway, City staff from the facility design and
construction team also explored opportunities for invitational art commissions in other areas
of the recreation complex identified as benefiting from artistic enhancement. Given the
facilityÓs size, scope, and overall budget, additional funds w ere allocated for this purpose,
and consideration was given that artists submitting to the open call could also be considered
potential candidates for these invitational commissions.
REPORT:
The Kitchener Indoor Recreation Complex art competition was open to artists or artist
collaborations with experience in creating site-responsive public art projects. A commission
of $300,000 was available, which promotional content indicated must be used to cover the
artistÓs or collaborativeÓs design and productio n fees, insurance and legal costs, materials,
fabrication and subcontractorsÓ costs, studio, storage and installation expenses, including
transportation of artwork to the site, any required official documentation, and any travel
expenses.
Staff in Arts and Creative Industries (A&CI) assembled a jury to recommend one proposal
from those submitted to the selection process for the Kitchener Indoor Recreation Complex.
Jurors for this commission were considered carefully, and included the following members:
Rick Haldenby (representative from the City of KitchenerÓs citizen advisory Public Art
Working Group & Professor of Architecture at the University of Waterloo School of
Architecture)
Danille Byers (representative from the Kitchener Soccer Club)
Logan MacDonald (Kitchener citizen & professional artist & Canada Research Chair
in Indigenous Art at the University of WaterlooÓs department of Fine Arts)
Margaret Lam (representative and past chair of the City of KitchenerÓs Arts & Culture
Advisory Committee)
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Soheila Esfahani (Kitchener citizen & professional visual artist & curator)
Elin Moorlag (City of Kitchener staff & representative from the facility design &
construction team)
Margaret Johnston (Ward 8 councillor for City of Kitchener)
Open Public Art Competition
A two-stage public art competition for the Kitchener Indoor Recreation Complex was
announced in August 2024. An open call for expressions of interest was posted and
promoted on the CityÓs website for 90 days from August 7, 2024 to November 4, 2024. Of
all the Expression of Interests received, one-third of submissions were eliminated due to a
failure to include all eligibility requirements, misinterpreting the commission available, or
otherwise not aligning with the A&CI teamÓs preference to realize a made-in-Canada
proposal. After completing a comprehensive review of all expressions of interest, staff
identified 28 proposals that were eligible, which were then reviewed and rated by members
of the jury.
From December 2024 to February 2025, jurors independently reviewed and rated
submissions. In February the jury met to discuss the highest-rated 10 to 12 proposals in
detail, and as a first step, five artists were selected and discussed further as potential
candidates for the next round of consideration. Three of those top five artists were asked to
provide more detailed and in-depth concepts of the artwork they proposed in the first round
for a suspended artwork located in the main lobby, based on the proje ct teamÓs preference
for animating that space. Each of the three artists selected were paid the stage-two fee of
$2,500 to develop this second-round concept.
In May 2025, the three shortlisted proposals from the second round for suspended artwork
in the main lobby were presented to the public art jury for final deliberation. Each concept
demonstrated artistic merit and originality; however, the jury encountered a significant
challenge due to major design changes to the facility since the open call was issued in
August 2024. Most notably, the addition of a quad gymnasium altered the spatial character
of the lobby. Originally envisioned as a light-filled, open area with exterior windows on one
side, the lobby is now fully enclosed, bordered by the gymnasium on one side, the aquatics
centre on the other, with the registration area, stairwell, and corridor to the indoor turf field
directly ahead from the main entrance.
Given these substantive design changes, and after careful consideration of how each
proposed suspended artwork would function in the newly configured space, the jury decided
to terminate the public art competition, which the City has the express right to do at any time
throughout an open call process as per Public Art Policy GOV-COR-816.
Additional Artwork for the Facility
Responding to the teamÓs interest in pursuing additional artworks for the facility, city staff
began coordinating a new location opportunity within the facility by inviting a revised pitch
from one of the artists identified by the jury as the top five contenders in the first round,
contemporary Indigenous artist Jackie Traverse. The proposal submitted in response to the
open call by this artist was no longer feasible due to design changes in the facility, but
members of the jury were supportive of city staff reaching out to this artist to explore a
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potential invitational commission. That artistÓs representation firm, Highness Global Inc., had
recently completed installation of Nyle Johnston and Isaac MurdochÓs Wintertime Stories at
KPL Southwest, and were asked to prepare a new proposal for a feature wall inside the
aquatic centre.
In response to this request, TraverseÓs proposal, Gidinawendimin (see Appendix A), was
presented to city staff and was shared with members of the jury as a potential alternative
once the public art call process was terminated. The proposal outlined a 95-square-metre
tile mosaic featuring four women interwoven with flowing lines of water, rendered in vibrant
blues with black and white accents. Following a fulsome discussion, the jury unanimously
recommended proceeding with this artwork as an invitation-based public art commission,
with the funding originally allocated to the suspended artwork competition to be redirected
to support this installation. While this recommendation marks a departure from the initial
direction for the public art commission, the jury was confident that this striking piece of art
will be a powerful and fitting addition to the Kitchener Indoor Recreation Complex, as
captured in the jury statement below.
Jury Statement
Gidinawendimin by Jackie Traverse will be a stunning addition to the Kitchener
Indoor Recreation Complex. The beauty and depth of this piece tell a story that will
be broadly appreciated, and the theme of the work fits beautifully with the overall
architectural style of the facility and the aquatics centre.
Covering a 95-square-meter space (roughly 70 feet across), the mosaic tile piece
captures the theme of women and water, featuring four figures interwoven with the
flowing lines of water on a palate of bright and vibrant blue tones with white and black
accent. Not only does this piece have incredible artistic appeal, it is also a fitting,
durable and practical choice for the facility, requiring very little ongoing maintenance.
In particular, the use of vitreous glass tile is an excellent choice for this mosaic, as
the light will shine through the glass, accentuating the vibrant colors which will never
fade over time.
The decision to select this piece of art required flexibility from the jury and an
openness to providing opportunity for the artist to present something that was more
suitable to their skillset than what was set out in the original call. This process
resulted in an amazing piece of art coming forward, and the jury is thrilled with the
commission of this piece. Gidinawendimin will be a striking and memorable piece of
the Kitchener Indoor Recreation ComplexÓs aquatics centre for kids and families
using the facility for many years to come.
Artwork
Gidinawendimin (ÐWe Are All RelatedÑ) is a striking tile mos aic by Anishinaabe artist Jackie
Traverse that explores the deep connection between women and water. The artwork
honours the leadership of women, their intergenerational strength, and the ways in which
their voices, like water, flow outward in protection of land, life, and spirit. This relationship is
rooted in both ceremony and everyday practices, such as water walks, offerings, and
advocacy to protect water for current and future generations.
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The piece reflects a powerful Indigenous worldview, celebrating the sacred feminine through
themes of continuity, collective responsibility, and reverence for life, and will certainly serve
as a compelling cultural statement and a meaningful addition to the CityÓs public art
collection.
The original painting has been meticulously translated into a mosaic through a digital
rendering process, which maps the artwork onto a carefully selected palette of vitreous glass
tiles. This adaptation preserves the integrity of TraverseÓs original compositionÏ retaining its
bold lines, dynamic colour transitions, and expressive forms Ï while accommodating the
geometric and material properties of mosaic art. The mosaic is composed of vitreous glass
tiles, known for their rich colour, durability, and resistance to fading or staining. These tiles
are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, including high-moisture environments,
ensuring that the artwork will remain vibrant and resilient over time.
Highness Global is a Toronto-based artists Ó representation firm whose mandate is to
tran slate Indigenous artistsÓ visions to new scales, materials and audiences. Their
involvement in the project is an essential factor in this selection and recommendation.
Recently, Highness Global support the recent public art installation at KPL Southwest. The
development experience at KPL Southwest clearly indicated the Toronto-based artistsÓ
representation firmÓs adaptability, careful collaborative approach and incredible production
capability. Their involvement aligns with the priorities of the Kitchener Indoor Recreation
Complex.
Next Steps
th
On July 15, 2025, the recommendation to commission the tile mosaic by Jackie Traverse
made by the jury was unanimously endorsed by the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee
(ACAC), a committee of citizens in place to provide advice and recommendations to city
council and staff on arts and culture matters to further the cityÓs strategic directions. The
ACAC committee meets monthly and is comprised of local arts professionals representing
a diverse range of specialities.
Since the jury recommendation was made to commission this work, City staff have been
working closely with the Kitchener Indoor Recreation Complex design and construction team
on integrating the installation of this piece into the schedule for the aquatics centre to
facilitate a seamless process and ensure installation is complete well before the facility
opening.
In addition to the $300,000 commission for Gidinawendimin, a second public art opportunity
for the Kitchener Indoor Recreation Complex will be launched in Fall 2025. Recognizing the
size, scope, and significance of the facility as a central gathering space for the community,
an additional $200,000 has been allocated to support this next public art initiative. This
upcoming call will follow a similar process to the initial one, emphasizing public engagement,
transparency, and collaboration. A jury process will be used to ensure community
involvement in decision-making, while close coordination with the design and construction
team will support the successful integration of the selected artwork within the facility and its
construction timeline.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This report supports the delivery of core services through the 1% for Public Art Policy.
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FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Capital Budget Î Funding for this public art commission has already been allocated to the
consolidated public art budget in accordance with Public Art Policy GOV-COR-816. The
construction costs of the new Indoor Recreation Complex resulted in a $300,000 allotment,
which is what was offered as commission in the open call for expressions of interest. Any
ongoing maintenance costs for this work will be funded through the CityÓs Public Art
maintenance account.
The A&CI team has used additional funds generated by other project allotments from the
consolidated account to support this selection process, including stage-two artists payments
and jury fees informed by the CARFAC (Canadian ArtistsÓ Representation/le front des
artistes Canadiens) industry standards, meetings and marketing costs.
Operating Budget Î The recommendation has no impact on the Operating Budget.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM Î This report has been posted to the CityÓs website with the agenda in advance of
the council / committee meeting.
CONSULT Î Staff produced an open call for expressions of interest that was posted on
August 4, 2024, remaining up until November 4, 2024. The open call was published on the
City of Kitchener website and promoted on its social media and by paid advertising.
COLLABORATE Î The jury included representatives from the CityÓs Public Art Working
Group and Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, both of which are made up of citizens. The
jury also included visual arts professionals and local citizens, a representative from a sports
club with a vested interest in the facility and a staff representative from the recreation
th
complex design and development team. On July 15, 2025, the recommendation of this jury
was unanimously endorsed by the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee.
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
GOV-COR-816 Public Art Policy
APPROVED BY: Barry Cronkite, Acting General Manager, Development Services
Department
ATTACHMENTS:
Appendix A Î Gidinawendimin proposal by Jackie Traverse
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