Deer Lake Park showcases Burnaby's past, present, and future

    1 of 9 2 of 9

      The City of Burnaby has no shortage of public-art projects.

      Burnaby Mountain Park is home to Noburi Toko's celebrated wooden sculpture Playground of the Gods and Ken Rainford's ceramic tile Sports Plaza.

      There's also Noel Harding's elegant RainCatcher sculpture outside the new Edmonds Community Centre.

      Soon, there will be a new public-art project created in Central Park to honour Dr. Sun-Yat Sen. He was the founder of modern China and visited Burnaby in 1911.

      One of my favourites in the region's third largest city is Community Clay Sculpture Project in Deer Lake Park.

      Conceived by Keith Rice-Jones, it harkens to the Playground of the Gods, which was a gift from Burnaby's sister city of Kushiro, Japan.

      The twist is that the clay surfaces in Deer Lake Park were created in workshops by Burnaby residents of all ages.

      It truly is a people's art project.

      The brick-like images were placed around a steel column; the poles celebrate the past, present, and future of the city.

      Robert Burnaby and legendary artist Jack Shadbolt are among those commemorated.
      Charlie Smith
      Here's a Burnaby strawberry farm, circa 1904.
      Charlie Smith
      The Central Park Line predated the SkyTrain.
      Charlie Smith
      All the councillors were men in the olden says.
      Charlie Smith
      Harry Twist was a Burnaby legend from a bygone era.
      Charlie Smith
      The name "Eaton" has disappeared from the retail landscape.
      Charlie Smith
      Some voters might want to clone Derek Corrigan, but this technology may not come soon enough for the mayor.
      Charlie Smith

       

      Comments