A proposed archway for Collingwood’s downtown dominated public discussion earlier this year.
Controversy over the downtown archway project began when Collingwood Downtown BIA’s general manager Susan Nicholson came to council at the beginning of March 2022 with an update on the project, indicating the new feature could be standing at First and Hurontario Streets as early as the summer.
The project was a BIA initiative, covered in the BIA budget, which is funded through a levy attached to the property tax bill for downtown commercial buildings.
Following the presentation in March, the BIA was notified it had qualified for a federal grant for $280,000 for both a First and Hurontario Street arch, as well as a second gateway feature at Hurontario and Hume Streets, as well as some other downtown projects.
The project was proposed due to a wayfinding signage report commissioned by the town and BIA in 2017 which concluded the downtown was not easy to find for newcomers to the area and a gateway feature might help.
Soon after Nicholson’s update in March, comments, emails, and letters flooded into town hall, council and local media opposing the archway, and expressing particular disdain for the design – a black metal arch with white font reading “Historic Downtown Collingwood” on one side, and “Historic Harbourfront Collingwood” on the other.
Among the comments were accusations the project was heading to approval without public consultation.
On April 19, councillors voted in favour of proceeding to public consultation on the archway project.
In May, results from a public engagement survey on the proposed downtown archway were compiled, and showed that the town received 727 responses to a public survey, 72.8 per cent of which (or 529) said they didn’t want an archway or gateway feature at all.
During discussion at that time, Acting Mayor Keith Hull – who had been a vocal supporter of the project – spoke with emotion about the toll the onslaught of public commentary on the matter had taken on him personally.
“To those I offended in terms of the stance I took, I apologize,” said Hull. “I’ve never (before) been questioned on my values and my love for this community. Some of the correspondence I received was unsettling.”
In August, a new proposal to use the federal funds came before town council, this time for a gateway public art feature – to be placed on both sides of Hurontario St. where it meets First St., that would not include an archway.
As part of those discussions, Coun. Deb Doherty suggested the town consider an Indigenous theme for the project.
The Collingwood BIA put out a Call to Artists for the project – now called the Downtown Passageway Public Art Project – in the fall, which closed on Nov. 30.
A selection team is currently making its way through the proposals by creating a shortlist, with the winning artist expected to be selected by March 1, 2023. Fabrication and installation of the winning art is expected in August 2023.
