An art installation commemorating the colourful history of Hastings Park could be coming to Vancouver later this year, but the price tag is raising a few eyebrows.
The project, titled “Home and Away,” is a throwback to the old bleachers and score boards at Empire Fields, and is budgeted at $450,000.
The park board said the project will be fully financed through Vancouver’s Public Art Program, which is partially funded by developers.
Art projects often draw sharp criticism from taxpayers, but board chair John Coupar said they’re an important part of city life.
“If you try to imagine Vancouver without public art it would be a much different place,” he said.
Art is subjective, he added, and initial reactions don’t always last.
“Some of the pieces that are most loved after a couple years are not the ones that are most loved in the beginning,” Coupar said.
The bleachers would stand nearly 15 metres tall and feature a bright blue “Home” section and bright yellow “Away” section that together could seat at least 150 people at a time.
The project may also be constructed with a slide exit.
According to a park board report, the “play architecture” design references the former Empire Stadium and a towering ski run that used to inhabit Hastings Park, as well as Playland’s iconic wooden roller coaster.
The board is expected to vote on the installation at a meeting Monday.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s St. John Alexander
Have your say: Should the park board approve the art piece?
