Update: Deputy City Manager Joe Schiessl responded to the Observer’s question about water infrastructure in the Queensgate roundabouts.
The Observer apologizes to readers for mistakenly reporting that the Richland City Council’s joint workshop with the Port of Benton commissioners at 4 pm Tuesday was the only workshop of the day. The council had a second workshop at the regular 6 pm time at Richland City Hall.
A video of the 6 pm, June 27 meeting is available at Richland City View.
At the second meeting the council had a longer discussion about the art in the Queensgate roundabouts than about the Hanford Communities annual update and the budget process review combined.
It’s no secret that Mayor Terry Christensen was annoyed that the Richland Arts Commission had chosen the art with little input from the council. He seemed determined that the council would have an opportunity to register its opinion if there were any changes.
A city survey on public art found that many responders did not like the roundabout art. One person wrote that the art at the north roundabout looked like someone leaving Home Depot had “lost their load.”
Parks and Public Facilities Director Laura Hester explained to the councilmembers the importance of location, scale and color to roundabout art. The art currently there is too small and blends into the background, she said.
The family of Bernard Hosey, who died in 2012, has offered to donate pieces of his sculptures for the roundabout and Hester presented slides showing what the large red pieces would look like in the center of the traffic circles.
Councilmember Ryan Lukson responded, “It could be a distraction… I’m not sure there’s an ability to even appreciate it.” He asked about alternatives such as trees.
The Observer reached out to City Manager Jon Amundson to learn if there was water supplied to the center of the roundabouts as supplemental water would be required for any plantings in them. Deputy City Manager Joe Schiessl replied that currently there is no water infrastructure serving the Queensgate roundabouts.
Councilmember Shayne VanDyke said that he was worried about the elevation of the art. “What’s below it,” he said, “I’d love to see a different place to put the art and actually wouldn’t mind seeing it come down, or the elevation come down a little bit, so we can see what’s on those roundabouts better.”
Hester responded, that art like that proposed is not usually a safety hazard because drivers see it from a distance and don’t look at it as they go around the circle.
The council agreed to continue the discussion about the roundabout art and moved on to considering art for the fitness facility to be built at Howard Amon Park.
The fitness facility art proposed has examples of agriculture and other items and landmarks from the region. The council agreed that the kiwi fruit and the windmills should be removed from it.
UGH! So someone that doesn’t live in Richland, is deciding what art goes in the roundabouts. Why can’t the residents decide? The one for the north roundabout looks like someone holding a rifle. Why can’t we have flowers like Kennewick?
Hi Renee, I appreciate your comments. According to Deputy City Manager Joe Schiessl, there is no infrastructure in the roundabouts for watering plants. I preferred the south roundabout art. The north one looked like a cannon to me! Thank you for reading the Observer. Randy
I am not sure that the “artwork” placed in the various roundabouts in and around Richland have general appeal and artwork to be appreciated needs an environment where one can stop, look and study the art. What do the residents who use the roundabouts have to say about the “artwork”. What does highway safety research have to say about it? Just curious.
Hi Margie, I appreciate your comment. On Wednesday night the council discussed several park and other potential locations for public art. Some councilmembers did bring up the safety issues regarding the placement of art at the roundabouts when the matter was discussed in June. Parks and Public Facilities Director Laura Hester pointed out that the scale, color and design was important to art in roundabouts and the current art there did not meet the requirements for the location. To address council’s concerns, Wednesday Hester was offering other locations for pieces including those that have been offered by an artists family. Thank you for reading the Observer. Randy