A proposal to put art by local Kwantlen First Nations members on utility boxes in Fort Langley has met with resistance from local merchants, who say it would draw too much attention to the chest-high structures that will arrive with new underground power lines currently under construction.
Councillor Petrina Arnason thinks the above-ground transformer boxes present “a unique opportunity for us to collectively re-invent a landscape that helps to capture part of the true history of Fort Langley — that of two nations.”
Arnason said other communities cover the boxes with custom-designed decorative wraps and BC Hydro is willing to cover one-third of the cost.
However, when the idea came before council on Monday, a delegation from the Fort Langley Business Improvement Association (BIA) arrived to argue against it.
Gareth Abreo and Eric Woodward said the BIA board of directors unanimously voted against the proposal because they were concerned it would draw attention to the boxes when the businesses would prefer to have them blend in.
“We don’t want people walking and stopping and looking at boxes” when they visit Fort Langley, Abreo said.
“We don’t want to be celebrating these things,” Woodward said.
Woodward said using the utility boxes was “not worthy” of the artists.
Councillor Blair Whitmarsh agreed, saying “at some level, it may even be insulting.”
“If we want to highlight the work of local artists, I’m not sure that needs to be connected to Hydro boxes,” Whitmarsh said.
A majority of council voted to delay a decision until the underground wiring is completed.
“I think there’s a need for further discussion,” councillor Michelle Sparrow said.
Councillor Angie Quaale said the postponement “is not a vote against a type of art.”
The debate was witnessed by a delegation from the Kwantlen First Nation.
Following the vote, Kwantlen spokesperson Brandon Gabriel told The Times he personally was “not at all” insulted by the notion of using the boxes for displaying First Nations art, because it acknowledges indigenous people in Fort Langley, which he described as having a “very European” appearance.
“Nowhere do you see, in the architecture or design of the community, the influence of First Nations culture or the multitude of other nationalities and cultural groups” Gabriel said.
“It has to start somewhere.”
