By Tyler Marr

Crosswalk art underway

Sep 15, 2017 | 5:00 PM

Residents roaming downtown should soon notice some creative crosswalks at their feet.

As part of the city’s Municipal Cultural Action Plan to spruce up roadways and public areas downtown, they have enlisted Saskatchewan artists — including local Jack Jensen — to assist in painting crosswalks with creative designs.

“We are so excited to see the first of the artistic designs on our crosswalks,” Judy MacLeod Campbell, arts and cultural coordinator for the city, said in a release. “These creative crossings show our community’s interest in expanding public art and a commitment to local artists.”

Six locations including Central Ave. and 15th St, Central Ave. and 12th St., Second Ave. W. and 13th St. and two ramps at the Transit Transfer Station were selected for the designs. Currently, only the transit station has been completed, with the remainder to be done in the coming weeks, weather permitting.

The city hopes to add two new locations for crosswalk art per year. The selected designs include reflections of the surrounding area, such as lilies, trees, northern lights, geese and caribou.

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The Central Ave. crossings will have the ability to use various colours while other sites will be restricted to white, primarily due to safety. Each will have either one design or a pattern of similar art. The cold plastic paint used is expected to last three or more years.

In a previous interview, Campbell said the idea came from a desire to add to the number of art projects in the city but to do it at an accessible price point.

“Any kind of public art is costly,” Campbell said. “It is a huge undertaking and the budget that we have for public art is good, but it is a start.”

Many other cities across the province have launched similar projects, such as Saskatoon where urban planning teams came up with the designs and themes. Campbell said she wanted to take a different approach and have artists pitch ideas.

The project is a first of its kind for Prince Albert.

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr