Art spruces up flower basket poles in Edmonds

EDMONDS — Flower baskets will hang from new poles on city streets.

Three of the new black square steel poles have been installed, said Frances Chapin, the city’s cultural services manager. About 10 more of the original galvanized poles are planned to be replaced this year, she said.

The new poles on Main Street outside the Frances Anderson Center and one on Fifth Avenue N. south of Edmonds City Hall feature botanical designs in steel by artists Jean Whitesavage and Nick Lyle. Lily, kelp and salmonberry flower are included. The city expects to erect 10 of the new poles this year, Chapin said. A total of 40 new poles in the downtown area are planned with artwork in the next several years.

“Each one will be different. It will be like going to different exhibits in a gallery,” Chapin said.

Residents mentioned they were concerned about old poles looking rusty and dented several year ago. Chapin took those concerns to the Edmonds Arts Commission.

“They saw this as an opportunity to create a little bit of an outdoor gallery,” Chapin said. “It’s been in the planning documents for the arts commission probably for at least five years.”

The Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation * donated $3,000 to fund the cost of the artwork on the poles that are installed and will invite artists to design artwork for the poles that the city plans to install this year.

The new poles also are part of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department gift catalogue. Donors can purchase a pole for $2,000 and a small plaque honoring a person or organization will be added to the fixture.

For more information about purchasing a pole, contact the Edmonds Arts office at 425-771-0228.

Amy Daybert: 425-339-3491; adaybert@heraldnet.com.

* Correction, Jan. 11, 2011:The Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation donated $3,000 for artwork on three new black steel flower poles in downtown Edmonds. The name of the donating group was incorrectly reported in a story that appeared on Page B3 Tuesday.