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Tuesday, March 19, 2024
March 19, 2024

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Letter: Treasure public art with care

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The reason I am writing The Columbian is to hopefully make the city of Vancouver aware of the responsibility it has for the upkeep and periodic maintenance of the artwork in the city. Many cities have scheduled maintenance programs to take care of their artwork as part of their landscaping budget. I am particularly concerned about the bronze statue of the historic Captain George Vancouver near Esther Short Park.

My daughter Christina Demetro and I spent three months sculpting the statue in clay in front of the City Center Cinema before it was cast in bronze. To raise the funding for it we had hundreds of people put clay on the statue and give donations to have it cast in bronze. Elie Kassab of Prestige Development contributed matching funds to help complete the project. After over 15 years, the statue needs some cleaning and polish along with a new donors sign, as the old one is worn out.

The salmon swimming around the clock tower in Esther Short Park also need to be cleaned of calcium buildup from the water cascading over them.

These and other artworks are city treasures, and are an important part of its history. With proper care they can last hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

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