SPOKANE, Wash. — The Riverfront Park Committee has delayed its vote on a beaver statue to allow for more public feedback.
The City of Spokane is looking to add some new art to Riverfront Park and "The Beaver" is a finalist for the spot.
According to Spokane Parks and Recreations spokesperson Fianna Dickson, the committee didn't vote on Monday to allow for "more public feedback on the proposed pieces before moving forward."
The piece won out against competitors for the favor of city leaders.
"This was the group’s favorite art piece," the notes from the park board's meeting stated.
Saya Moriyasu is the artist who designed the piece. It's a bronze beaver designed as a swivel sitting area. Her concept was based off a story about a beaver named Saka’am, the Salish word for moon, who had creative ideas and crafted a rainbow colored hat to wear.
Park visitors would be able to sit on the beaver’s tail and swivel the chair in a full circle to enjoy the river and park scenery.
Originally, 26 artists responded to the Park Board's call to create a new art piece for Riverfront park. The Park board is judging candidates on three criteria:
- The art should be interactive, accessible and welcoming.
- The art should be made of durable material suited to an urban park.
- Artists must work or reside in the Inland Northwest region of Washington, Idaho and Oregon.
The committee is accepting public comment by email in at spokaneparks@spokanecity.org.
Three other pieces were also being considered for a spot in Riverfront park. One includes disk structures that bounce sound back and forth, another includes a maze like structure -- with L-E-D lighting, and a third includes a trout made of colored glass and metal.
