New site, new design

Last day of February

It's got to be spring, because we're all just plain fed up with winter. Patches of snow in Gibsons haven't melted since that first arctic blast mid-December. Gord's more stoic about it, here he is, meditating in sunshine & snow.


I'm an ex-Californian, and continue to marvel at the white, but even I've had enough. We're down to the newer wood, more difficult to ignite. It's time to shift the gaze to the garden.

News: they've changed the location for The Ice Gate. It's now going to be front and center at City Hall. And The Ice Gate is going to open the celebrations! Gord has been re-working the design ever since, visiting the site, considering all the particulars. He wants to enclose the paintings with plexiglas and refrigerate from within, but it's proving a challenge. All sorts of experts have been questioned and Gord has worked up numerous designs. He's in constant dialogue with Art.


Judith Reeve, landscape architect, has been fabulous. Aside from the technical considerations (what fasteners could hold the artwork mechanically to fit the frame; how can the site physically support the structure), she's considering how to integrate the artwork and the site to provide a place of comfort for visitors which would allow them to sit and gather, to linger and discuss.


See Gord's hand on the top of the photo? He's calculating how and when the sun rises up over the building, how much shade, etc. February 12th, was the one year mark before next year's opening. After a flurry of interest from the media when Richmond finally released the announcement of The Ice Gate commission, there was a feature on Global TV, The Richmond News and friends said, "We'll just consider this edition of the Coast Reporter 'The Gord Halloran edition'" as his photo was on the cover, and also featured in the sports section for winning his way up to the final of the local indoor tennis tourney.


We've had web master Jaz working on the premises with us, finishing the promotional poster. It's been a regular Computer Central, followed by excursions for squash. And of course, there's hockey - which keeps us sane - minimum 3 x a week.