CULTURAL DIVISION AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/FACILITIES MANAGEMENT DIVISION/REAL PROPERTY SECTION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
This item supports the Board's value of cultivating community culture, arts, recreation, and life-long learning and goals relating to providing diverse artistic, cultural, educational, and historical amenities and programs that contribute to a vibrant, multi-cultural and economically viable community.
In 2017, the Coral Springs Museum of Art, Inc. received a grant from the Community Foundation of Broward to support its “Forever Broward” project. “Forever Broward” promotes the importance of life in the western portion of Broward County and consists of a series of lectures and community organized programs, and will culminate with the installation of two 20-foot bird sculptures constructed by The Myth Makers, Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein. The Museum commissioned the two sculptures for $40,000. The two large-scale environmental public artworks representing birds are made entirely from bamboo, wire ties and found objects. Each sculpture symbolizes a unique bird that will entice visitors to explore the Florida Everglades and learn more about its significance. These towering bamboo sculptures will occupy two prominent public spaces in Broward County.
One sculpture, titled Perseverance, will be installed at the Sawgrass Trailhead at Atlantic Boulevard located west of the Sawgrass Expressway and south of Atlantic Boulevard. The Sawgrass Trailhead at Atlantic Boulevard is an access point to the Everglades Conservation Levee Trail, a 27-mile recreation trail along the edge of the Everglades. The Sawgrass Trailhead is one of the only public access points to the Everglades Conservation Levee Trail between Markham Park and Palm Beach County. The other sculpture, titled Persistence, is being displayed at the Sawgrass Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital (City of Coral Springs-owned property).
The sculpture titled Perseverance is the artists’ depiction of a Roseate Spoonbill. The construction materials are biodegradable and will naturally decompose. Perseverance is intended to be a monument to the legacy of Marjory Stoneman Douglas and her contribution to the preservation of the Everglades National Park as a result of her book “River of Grass.” The Roseate Spoonbill is the only species of spoonbills found in the Western Hemisphere.
The Museum will continue to be the sole owner of the sculpture occupying the licensed property and will be fully responsible for obtaining a building permit and cost of installation. In addition, the Museum will be responsible for all necessary repairs and maintenance and removal of the sculpture within two days of the County’s written notice or in the event that the Museum identifies deterioration that could become a hazard. The Museum shall inspect the sculpture monthly and complete all routine maintenance identified during the inspections within seven calendar days of the inspection. The license agreement may also be terminated for convenience by either party upon 30 days' written notice.
The sculpture, Perseverance, was reviewed and approved by the Public Art & Design Committee on December 12, 2018 and by the Broward Cultural Council on January 3, 2019. The City of Coral Springs issued a permit for installation of the artwork on January 14, 2019. While the agreement is effective upon approval and execution by the Board of County Commissioners', the sculpture was erected/installed on December 13, 2018, without expressed consent of the County. |