With the construction of Burlington’s new police station expected to begin in as soon as 10 months, the Select Board Monday night approved five new sculptures to be rented for the Burlington Sculpture Park, which will have to be relocated to accommodate the new building.
It is not yet clear where the Sculpture Park will move after Town Meeting in May approved zoning changes to permit the police station to expand into the Sculpture park’s current site at between the station and Grand View Farm.
Sculpture Park Committee Chair Barbara L’Heureux said it wouldn’t be a problem to move the sculptures to a different location once construction begins on the police station. “I don’t see harm in installing sculptures on the pads that exist today, because they’re easy to install and remove.”
The Sculpture Park Committee submitted a call to artists through the New England Sculpture Association, and shared a short list of qualified sculptures to Burlington schools so local kids could vote on the art they want to see around town. The five pieces approved Monday will replace four that are leaving town in the coming months.
The sculptures are rented for about two years, with the option to buy them if they’re popular among residents.
There are several options for locations for the park, from the edges of the Town Common to along the path leading from Grand View Farm to Town Hall. But no decisions have been made.
“I’d urge the board to figure out where that new home for the Sculpture Park is, whether it’s spread out or in a separate location,” said Town Administrator Paul Sagarino.
The details of the new sculptures have been kept a secret to amp up suspense around their grand unveiling.
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