TransLink is currently reviewing its policy on public arts after the recent outcry drawn from the announcement that $615,000 is to be spent on three public art installations at Skytrain stations. TransLink approved the installation of pieces at Main Street-Science World, Metrotown, and Commercial-Broadway stations, as part of an upgrade to the Expo Line.
Nancy Olewiler, TransLink board of directors chair, defended the practice of paying for art at different points of the transit system, but said that the method of selecting pieces and the amounts spent are to be reviewed, according to Burnaby Newsleader.
Gordon Price, a former member of Vancouver City Council and the current director of SFU’s City Program also defended the concept of public art pieces at transit stops, saying, “For other cities like Vienna or Helsinki that are on the list of most livable cities [in the world], these questions wouldn’t even come up.”
He continued, “If the city didn’t consider high architectural design or pubic arts, the public probably would be, if not outraged, [saying] ‘What are you thinking?’”
For Price, who also served on TransLink’s board of directors in 1999, the issue is one of quality of life. “Infrastructure shouldn’t just be nuts and bolts,” he stated, “It should be about, how can we make city life better? What can we do to add to the quality of life, not the quantity of life, if everything is measured in dollars or even in cents?”
TransLink has recently announced the cancellation of several fare discount programs.
Price also pointed to the art pieces inside YVR airport, such as “The Spirit of Haida Gwaii, The Jade Canoe,” that give the airport its reputation for award-winning architecture and art collections.
“What we are saying to people is if you come by plane, you are someone we have enough [money] for and we’re going to make our airport an attractive place, but once you’re on transit, that’s for poor people,” stated Price. “We don’t want to say that. That’s why we have public art policies.”
Price believes that contributions should be put in from both the public and the private sector towards projects such as this, and pointed to the provincial government’s willingness to spend large sums of money on art galleries and projects around the province.
Bryan Kinney, an SFU criminology professor, pointed to the positive emotions that transit users could experience from the art installations, as a product of our evolution.
“From running around on the grass for thousands of years . . . we evolved to a point that we appreciate the ability to see open spaces as a defence mechanism and as a hunting advantage,” Kinney said. “People tend to feel better when they are in open spaces . . . Artwork has a similar effect. When there is artwork, I would feel it is a pretty safe area.”
The hefty $615,000 price tag is the main reason why people object to the project. Thesea re funds which critics say could be used for a practical transit project, such as adding another bus route or lowering transit ticket prices, which have steadily increased over the last few years.
The real question is, how do you value your public transit?” – Gordon Price, SFU City Program director
TransLink has recently announced the cancellation of several fare discount programs, such as FareSaver tickets and the Employee Pass Program, to come into effect in 2014. Spokesman Bob Paddon said the programs were found to be unfair during an internal review, according to CTV News.
For Price, the question boils down to value. “The real question is, how do you value your public transit? Does it have dignity, respect, or is it valued the same way as we value other things?” he posited.
“Think about the amount of money government spends on an election campaign,” said Kinney, “Millions of dollars to get ad spaces to tell us one group is better than the other. What good does that do? But that’s the cost of modern society.”
*Correction: This article mentions that TransLink is reacting to public opinion with their decision to review the policy. However, according to Derek Zabel, TransLink media relations, TransLink had undertaken this initiative prior to any public interest.
