This is my response to Marcus Bowcott’s Trans Am Totem, a contemplation on what it brings to mind for me. Thanks to Bowcott for this brilliant work, and to Vancouver Biennale for bringing it to us all. Another public art coup de grâce for Vancouver.

The Parks Advocacy group conducted a series of interviews to gather people’s opinions on a very unique park in downtown Vancouver known as Yaletown Park. I’m having trouble embedding so view the video here.

What are your thoughts on the space? If you could, would you change anything about it? Does it alter your definition of what a park should look and feel like?

This unique space had been “vacant” so to speak for almost 2 years, since opening in June 2008. It hasn’t seen much use and even during the Olympics I noticed that usage was pretty sparse. Only on that “crazy Saturday” — when the weather was gorgeous and people came downtown in droves — did I see that park at just under capacity. Still, it was missing that special something that would really draw people in, regardless of an international sporting event.

The sculpture looks amazing and I think it’s a perfect fit for Yaletown Park. Once it’s installed, I think traffic and usage of the park will dramatically increase, bringing people out and together, sharing ideas or coffee, perpetuating that lively urban street life that we were all fortunate enough to have experienced just a short time ago.