REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: November 4, 2015 Report No. FIN-15-019
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Ian Irvine, Director of Financial Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Funding for Public Art Purchase
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RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
It is accepted procedure that staff not make recommendations on requests for funding. Options available to Council are listed below under ALTERNATIVES
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RELEVANT POLICY:
Esquimalt Public Art Policy ADMIN-30
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
There are no strategic objectives directly related to this decision.
BACKGROUND:
At it's November 2, 2015 meeting, Council requested options from staff about how the Township could fund the potential purchase of a public art piece. The 'Pearl', by Fred Dobbs, was named the People's Choice Award at the recent Sculpture Splash. A photo of the sculpture is attached. It is a bronze sculpture that measures 36"x24"x12", weighs 75 kilograms and can be displayed either inside or outside. Regardless of where the piece would be installed, it would require being pinned into a concrete, stone or a metal base for secure positioning.
In addition to the $12,000 purchase cost, there are other costs related to displaying and securing the piece. The Township would be required to buy or build a suitable base and preliminary cost estimates are approximately $1,500 for related materials and labour. Additionally, the artwork would need to be insured by the Township. While the cost premium for the piece would be very low, the Township insurance policy includes a $5,000 deductible. This means that any damage with costs below that threshold would be paid by the Township and would be funded within the Financial Plan.
While Public Art Policy ADMIN-30 exists, it has not been recently updated. Within the current Policy, funding for public art is to be supported by contributed amounts relating to projects completed within the Township. In the absence of such contribut...
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