Vancouver Park Board decided this week to leave the painted memorial bench dedicated to New Westminster teacher Colin Mackay in place, for the time being.
On Monday night, commissioners voted to leave the bench in place while staff looks into options to accommodate “artistic enhancements” to the benches. Staff is expected to report back December. The motion, however, included an amendment to exclude “paint or other coatings to be applied to the natural wood.”
In June, local artist Julia Goudkova painted a Kitsilano Beach Park bench that was purchased to honour her partner, Mackay, who died in a motorcycle crash in 2015. Mackay taught Grade 5/6 students at Lord Kelvin Elementary School.
However, after it was completed the park board told her that the bench would have to be removed because it violated policy.
Goudkova started an online petition, which has to date garnered more than 8,820 signatures, asking the park board to allow the artwork to remain. In response to the ensuing public outcry, the board held off on removing the bench for the fourth anniversary of Mackay’s death on July 2.
Subsequently, NPA commissioner Tricia Barker brought forward the motion, which was approved Monday, to have staff look into allowing artistic enhancements and to leave MacKay’s bench in place on an interim basis and “work with the family on potential solutions.”
Barker expressed dismay on Twitter Tuesday at the amendment that will exclude painting from the staff report.
“The intent of motion was to explore ways people could honour their loved ones,” she tweeted.
In a post on the petition page, Goudkova said she has mixed emotions about the board’s decision, noting the amendment excluding paint.
According to the city’s website, bench dedications can be purchased with a $5,500 donation, which is used to “support to enhancement of city parks.” A dedication expires 10 years after the date of installation — it can take eight to 10 months for a plaque to be installed on one of the benches. A bench dedication can be renewed after 10 years, or the bench will be made available to someone else.
There are a number of conditions that come along with a park bench dedication and while the rules listed online don’t expressly prohibit painting, it does state that: “Dedicated park amenities, including plaques, remain the property of the Park Board.”
With files from Elana Shepert/Vancouver Is Awesome
