A recommendation to set aside money for public art installations in Saskatoon is moving forward despite concerns from some city councillors.
City council voted Monday night to back a proposal that will see funding of $20,000 per year for five years in order to create a $100,000 public art reserve.
The money would be used for public art designs or pieces.
In addition, if the city spends more than $5 million on a capital project, one per cent of the cost would be spent on art up to a maximum of $500,000. Only certain projects would be eligible for the public art component.
Councillors Randy Donauer and Eric Olauson raised questions about whether the money could be better spent on other civic priorities, but other councillors, including Charlie Clark, supported the move.
“If you go to other cities, these are the things people take pictures in front of,” Clark said in an interview. “I think Saskatoon citizens deserve to have these kinds of sites to be proud of just like somebody in any other city.”
