New art has bloomed this month in Fremont, in addition to spring flowers.
Artists Preston Singletary and David Franklin were commissioned to create art for the Fremont and Queen Anne Ship Canal Water Quality Project sites, which were built to reduce stormwater and sewage overflows into the Ship Canal.
The two large-scale canoe paddle sculptures constructed of glass and steel were installed on both sides of the ship canal on April 1. According to Singletary, the artwork tells the traditional native story of Petrel Guards the Water and Raven Steals the Water.
Seattle Public Utilities, in partnership with the City of Seattle’s Office of Arts & Culture’s Public Art program, commissioned a suite of artworks that seeks to connect visitors to the flow of water at the Wallingford, Fremont, Queen Anne, and Ballard sites.
The City of Seattle’s Public Art program mandates that, “1% of eligible city capital improvement project funds be set aside for the commission, purchase, and installation of artworks in a variety of settings.”
A Facebook follower recently asked if the large space above the Fremont Drop Shaft will be activated, so Fremont Neighbor sent the question to Seattle Public Utilities. The Ship Canal Water Quality Team answered, “The space above the Fremont Drop Shaft will revert to being a public street and sidewalk (NW 36th St), as it was prior to construction.” There will be no education panels installed on the site.
As construction concludes, the streets, sidewalks, and King County Fremont Siphon site will return to public use. The former Fleur de Lis site – which was used during construction through a temporary easement with the property owner – will be turned over to the property owner who will decide the long term plans for the property, the team added.
According to the Ship Canal Water Quality Team, “We are planning to wrap up construction in Fremont by late spring, with site restoration concluding around that time.”
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