Art piece removed from Calgary rec centre after visitor’s jacket burned

CALGARY – The City of Calgary has removed a hot piece of public art from outside a recreation centre, saying it’s up to the artist to fix it.

The piece entitled “The Wishing Well” has been fenced off for more than a year after a visitor had his jacket singed from the sun reflecting off the surface.

The sculpture, which cost $559,000, is made of a highly reflective material and resembles a large metal ball split into two hemispheres.

Carol Steiner with the Genesis Centre says she doesn’t understand why nobody considered this could happen before the sculpture was built.

Steiner also feels the city needs to be more flexible when it comes to its public art policy, which requires that one per cent of every city-funded capital project go toward art.

Steiner feels the Genesis Centre is beautiful in it’s own right, and there shouldn’t have to be a piece of art standing beside it.

A spokeswoman for the city says at this point they’re unsure whether the piece of art can be fixed but if that’s the case, the contract states the artist must refund the total cost of the project.

(CHQR)