The footings are cast for two 30-foot tall lighthouse sculptures that will soon stand at the corners of Hurontario and First/Huron Streets downtown.
Designed by artist Pierre Poussin, who was selected through a public art committee process, the art was paid for with a grant from the federal government awarded to Collingwood's downtown business association (BIA).
Originally planned as an archway stretching across the street, the plan changed after public outcry against the arch way and Poussin was selected from more than 30 submissions for the project, according to the BIA.
The concrete bases for the sculptures have been installed downtown this week.
According to Collingwood's downtown BIA manager Sue Nicholson, the foundation needs about a month to cure, but the sculptures are made and ready to install once the concrete is ready.
There will be a formal unveiling and dedication announced once the installation timeline is "definitive," said Nicholson in an email on April 11, 2024.
Poussin's designs feature two lighthouses or beacons etched with drawings of the last ship built 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 in September, 2023. "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.
