Fountain sculpture moved to storage

On Tuesday, Creemore’s iconic Children’s Dress-up Dance bronze sculpture by Ralph Hicks was removed from its fountain base to allow for site prep work on the Village Green. The sculpture will be kept in storage until it can be replaced on the fountain in its new location.
The fountain is to be moved to the south, beside the Bank Café, and will be located beside water jets, to create a water feature where children can play.
The stage, will now be located beside the grocery store parking lot, for better protection from the weather, sound, and sightlines. Its arched roof design has been inspired by the interior of old train stations.
Stuart Lazier of Creemore Community Foundation, the proponents of the park redesign, said the cost estimate of the park project is up to $1.6 million. After the closure of the TD Bank, the Foundation was able to secure a donation of the property in order to redevelop the area into a village square.
The intention is to expand the park and open up sightlines to the Station on the Green community centre.
After thorough public consultation, a vision was developed for a programmable space that could be used for performances, and gatherings. Lazier said the new design will create a greenspace that can be accessed by weddings using the Station.
In addition to stage-front seating, there will be wooden seating platforms build around the trees.
The Foundation is in the process of securing all the necessary permits for work to get underway this summer. In the meantime site preparation work can go ahead. Lazier hopes the work will be complete by mid October, and will be ready to accommodate the 100th anniversary of the Creemore Horticultural Society the following year. The horticultural society’s gardens will feature prominently in the new park, formerly known as The Hort Park.
Lazier said fundraising had stalled due to the pandemic but it will resume. One idea is to auction off artwork done by local artists that will be displayed on the fencing placed around the jobsite.
Although a community meeting to reveal the revised plans is not longer possible, the plans will be posted at the construction site.
For more information, visit www.creemorevillagegreen.ca.