Jean-Marc Guillamot, Brianne English, Owen Erksine, Wood Buffalo Downtown Revitalization Advisory Committee (WBDRAC), provided an overview of the Franklin and Main Park Plan. It was noted that the goal is to include a Public Art piece in the park, with strong indigenous connections and history, as well as youth involvement in the construction process. The WBDRAC is looking to the Public Art Committee for collaboration on the Park and its Public Art features.
Bipul Bhowmik, Project Manager, Engineering, provided a project level overview, detailing projected time lines and preliminary designs. Monica Lance, Special Projects Manager, noted that as part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative there has been numerous Public Engagements where Beautification has been consistently indicated as an important factor in the Revitalization of the downtown area, and Public Art would play and important role in that. The Downtown Revitalization Committee has identified key factors for 2020 and 2021 as Beautification and Place making, this would allow collaboration with the Public Art Committee as these factors would fall under their mandate.
Rick Gendron, 818 Studio, advised that their overall goal is to facilitate the incoporation of Public Art into the Franklin and Main Park. He requested that the Public Art Committee consider what infrastructure can be built in to the park to help accommodate the inclusion of Public Art pieces. Nabil Malik, Vice Chair, suggested that the Public Art Committee may need to take a further look at the overall plan and layout of the Park to determine what would be needed.