Why not potholes? Lloydminster approves $72K public art project after debate over spending priorities

“So, I’m not an art guy,” Lopez said. “When it came out… I was pretty quiet. I’m like, I don’t get this, it doesn’t make any sense.”

A photo shows a metal tree sculpture proposed for installation near the Bioclean Aquatic Centre in Lloydminster’s Bud Miller All Seasons Park. The sculpture is part of a $72,000 public art project approved by city council on June 8, 2026. (Image Credit: City of Lloydminster)

Lopez said a conversation with a local business owner offered a different perspective.

“He goes, ‘Do you understand people travel all over Western Canada looking for this artist and coming into the community to see the art and to see where it’s located,’” Lopez said.

The conversation, he said, changed how he viewed the proposal.

“We have these things for everybody, so everyone in the community can appreciate it and love different things,” he said, comparing public art to amenities such as golf courses, hockey facilities and event venues.

“It changed my way of thinking that if we promote what we have, we could bring other people into another economic development stream into Lloydminster, where people are coming to find our art, right?”

Coun. Michele Charles Gustafson said public art often generates differing opinions because people place different value on it, but argued communities benefit from investing in public spaces and cultural amenities.

She said discussions with representatives from national arts organizations at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference reinforced the role public art can play in communities.

“Public art has been proven to improve livability, mood, mental health, even in communities that offer it to their residents,” she said.

Gustafson said many residents had asked what the artwork represented and why it had been selected.

According to information provided by the artist, the poplar tree sculpture is intended to celebrate the importance of nature within the community and symbolize how people can achieve more when they work together. The wind-themed bench reflects a defining feature of prairie life, while the water-themed bench recognizes the role of water in sustaining life on the Prairies.

“Art is something that everyone will see something else in, and not everyone sees the same value in it, and that’s okay,” Gustafson said.

A photo shows a water-themed bench proposed for installation near the Bioclean Aquatic Centre in Lloydminster’s Bud Miller All Seasons Park. The bench is part of a public art installation approved by Lloydminster city council on June 8, 2026. (Image Credit: City of Lloydminster)

Coun. Justin Vance said he had spent time reading social media comments about the proposal and wanted to clarify where the money would come from.

“These are not dollars that otherwise would have gone to potholes, sewer, roads, infrastructure,” he said. “If we were to say no, money isn’t going to go and help fill potholes at the end of the day.”

According to a report presented to council, the city currently has $122,670 in its Public Art Reserve. The reserve receives a minimum of one per cent of the city’s annual capital surplus.

The project budget includes $60,000 for fabrication, transportation and installation, $2,250 for landscaping and site preparation and a contingency of $9,750, for a total of $72,000.

The proposal was brought forward by the Public Art Advisory Committee, which selected Reimer’s design after reviewing six submissions received through a national expression of interest process.

The committee selected the proposal because of the sculpture’s design, the functionality of the benches, resistance to vandalism and minimal maintenance requirements.

The project is intended to replace Ekecheria, a two-dimensional artwork by Laura Hale that had previously been installed on the south exterior wall of the aquatic centre but deteriorated and could not be reinstalled following renovations to the building.

Coun. Jason Whiting said public art funding will always compete with other municipal priorities but argued the reserve exists to ensure projects such as this can move forward.

“The reality is … if we didn’t, there never would be money for public art,” Whiting said.

Mayor Gerald Aalbers noted the approved budget includes a 15 per cent contingency and said the final cost could come in below the approved amount if the project proceeds without unexpected expenses.

Installation is expected during the Bioclean Aquatic Centre’s scheduled shutdown in fall 2026.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

by Kenneth Cheung

Why not potholes? Lloydminster approves $72K public art project after debate over spending priorities

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