Before the end of the year, Collingwood's downtown business association will be unveiling two 30-foot tall lighthouse sculptures standing at the corners of Hurontario and First/Huron Street.
The Collingwood Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA) announced that Pierre Poussin was selected to create the public art installation, which is funded through a grant from the federal government.
A two-stage process was used to select Poussin as the winning artist. According to a news release from the BIA, there were more than 30 submissions for the project, and three of the artists were invited to the second stage of the process, which involved submitting a concept and design proposal.
Poussin's designs feature two lighthouses or beacons etched with drawings of the last ship build in the area and one of the most common boats made in Collingwood.
"I am honored to have been given the opportunity to create a public art installation that pays tribute to the rich history of the Town of Collingwood," stated Poussin in the news release from the BIA. "From the moment I delved into the research of Collingwood's past, I was deeply fascinated by the town's boat-building legacy, and the awe-inspiring scale of the vessels constructed and launched on its waterfront."
Poussin said his installation is meant to celebrate the ingenuity, craftsmanship and hard work of the people who contributed to Collingwood's shipbuilding heritage.
The public art installation is called 'Saga,' inspired by the Nottawasaga River and lighthouse by the same name. In the Algonquin language, the word “saga” means “mouth of the river”.
The Collingwood BIA is working with the Collingwood Museum to install signs that highlight the community’s shipbuilding history as represented by the artwork.
Poussin was selected by a volunteer committee charged with establishing the project criteria and choosing an artist for the project. Volunteers on the committee included members of the community, representatives of the Collingwood Downtown BIA, artists, a representative of the local Unity Collective and a former Shipyards worker. The team was supported by town and museum staff.
“The Selection Committee was instrumental in getting us to this point and we are grateful for the time and energy they invested in this project," said Susan Nicholson, general manager of the Collingwood BIA, in the news release.
Installation is expected to take place in November.
