BACKGROUND:
The City of Cathedral City has several key transportation corridors. East Palm Canyon, Dinah Shore Drive, Ramon Road, and Vista Chino allow west-east travelers to quickly traverse our city. North and south transportation corridors within our city, while equally vital, are limited. Date Palm Drive, Cathedral Canyon, and Landau are the primary north/south routes. During heavy rain fall, Cathedral Canyon Drive, one of only two north/south corridors within the southern portion of the city, is often shut down at the Whitewater River low-water crossing.
Thankfully, the Cathedral Canyon bridge project (Project) will replace the current Whitewater River low-water crossing. Fourteen years in the planning and processing stage, the Project is under construction and expected to be completed in May 2022. The east portion of the bridge is currently open to north and south-bound traffic.
In 2019, the City Council voted to name this important bridge after deceased Cathedral City resident Ms. Olfelia Bringas. Council selected Ms. Bringas to recognize not just the honorable life she led, but the decades Ms. Bringas spent caring for hundreds of our Valley’s at-risk youth. The dedication of the Bringas bridge goes beyond a simple naming.
While walking, biking, or driving across the bridge, travelers will see twenty (20) pilasters located on the street-level portion of the bridge facing into the roadway. These pilasters have been designed to provide just over a 3’ by 3’ picture-frame style inset for the placement of public art. These picture frames will provide an unforgettable opportunity to tell the story of the life and contributions of Ms. Bringas.
DISCUSSION:
With 16,620 vehicles traversing the bridge daily, the Bringas Bridge will become one of the City’s most prominent art installations. Given the magnitude of this installation, the Public Arts Commission (PAC or Commission) is taking great care to create one cohesive project with 20 components (pilasters). Each pilaster will share in the telling of Ms. Bringas’ story.
Two (2) of the twenty pilasters will house a bronze plaque detailing the life and contributions of Ms. Bringas. The cost of the plaques will be paid for by Project funds. The location of the plaques will be mirror opposites. One plaque will be located on the first pilaster when entering the southern portion of the bridge on the east side (the first pilaster north bound traffic will see). The second plaque will be located on the first pilaster when entering the northern portion of the bridge on the west side (the first pilaster south bound traffic will see).
Two more pilasters will house a portrait photo of Ms. Bringas. This photo, selected by the Bringas family, will be printed and fire-baked onto ceramic tiles and mounted within the pilaster frame. Each tile-based picture portrait will cost approximately $1,000. These tile portraits will be located opposite from the bronze plaques on the last pilaster leaving the bridge. Positioning the art on the last pilasters (respectfully for north bound and south bound traffic lanes) will allow travelers to see a picture of the woman who’s story they just experienced.
Consistency of artistic mediums among the pilasters is an important consideration when creating a cohesive installation. Accordingly, the remaining 16 pilasters will involve fine art printed on tile. The Public Arts Commission (PAC or Commission) proposes the following:
1. Call for artistic submissions issued by the first week in February.
2. Ideally, two artists will be selected to create the 16 works. Each artist would be responsible for creating eight works.
3. Call for individuals skilled in tile installation issued by the first week of February.
4. The PAC has approved a budget of $1,000 per pilaster for the tile printing and installation.
5. The PAC has approved a budget of $2,000 per pilaster to be paid to the artist(s) for creating the fine art which will be printed on tile. The tile manufacturer requires full- scale art 3’6” by 3’8”) to ensure the art-to-tile transfer process is accurate.
As was done with the Public Library bench beautification project, once authorized by Council, the Commission will (i) issue the call for submissions, (ii) receive, evaluate, and select the best works, and (iii) bring PAC recommendations back to Council for final approval prior to commissioning selected artist(s).
FISCAL IMPACT:
This project is estimated to cost $50,000. These costs will be funded through the Art in Public Places fund. The following is a breakdown of the anticipated expenses:
Ms. Bringas tile portraits: two (2) at $1,000 each: $ 2,000 Individual artistic works: sixteen (16) at $2,000 each: $32,000 Art on tile printing: sixteen (16) at $1,000 each: $16,000 Total expense: $50,000