A Nelson-based artist has been chosen to create a historical bronze sculpture for White Rock’s waterfront.
Council on Monday supported commissioning Denis Kleine to create the piece, which is to be installed on the plaza located south of the White Rock Museum.
Dubbed ‘Passenger’, the sculpture is to be a man waiting at the White Rock Train Station, leaning with one hand on a bench with a packed suitcase at his side.
“It really lends itself for people to be photographed right in front of the museum sign,” the city’s director of leisure services, Eric Stepura, told council.
Kleine was chosen by the city’s public art selection panel. Stepura said Kleine’s proposed design stood out “due to the public’s ability to interact with the sculpture and to animate the plaza.”
It may receive minor modifications, he noted, citing the possible addition of a pocket watch and the words ‘City of White Rock.’
“Our panel is looking at adding additions to this preliminary sketch,” Stepura said.
Coun. Helen Fathers said she is “so happy that the (sculpture) looks like Alex Browne from the Peace Arch News.”
“Not a bad model,” quipped Mayor Wayne Baldwin of the longtime reporter.
Funds for the project were approved last month – $80,000, to come from the city’s community public-art capital-project budget. Baldwin noted that fund, which is boosted by $50,000 every year, is built largely from developers’ contributions.
The sculpture is to be in place within six months.
