Peachland council has given its support to having a sculpture installed beside the yellow Historic Schoolhouse building.
The Peachland Wellness Centre and Peachland Community Arts Council have teamed up on the art project, which won’t need funding from the municipality.
In a presentation to council on Tuesday, Geoff Trafford with the wellness centre wouldn’t reveal the project’s cost, but said it will be covered by a grant and a local benefactor.
The Helping Hands sculpture, being created by West Kelowna artist Lynden Beesley, should be ready for installation in July or August in the Intergenerational Garden on the building’s doorstep.
The sculpture’s helping hands will hold up a woven vine ball being created by another area artist, Annabel Stanley.
It’s no small piece, rising more that two metres high, about a metre in diameter and weighing some 500 kilograms.
Coun. Alena Glasman wondered whether a large metal object in the centre of the garden could cause problems for the plant life, “just being metal and conducing heat, reflection, things like that. I’m just wondering if that’s something that’s actually been taken into consideration.”
“The colour of the piece is green, not reflective. I understand the powder coating will last 15 to 20 years,” answered Trafford. “I don’t think it’s going to have a negative effect in the space.”
Asked if the sculpture could topple over, Beesley answered: “It’ll be secure. It’s steel and its got a steel base on it, which is screwed into the concrete. It faces inwards with the hands up so there’s nothing sticking out that people could catch on,” she said.
