'Pollution' on Kingston's Waterfront

No, I'm not talking environmental awareness here, I'm talking modern art! 'Pollution' by artist Yvon Cozic. Installed from artist's plans by Foley Construction, a 40x50 foot plot was cleared in early June, 1974 and installation complete in July, across King Street from Kingston General Hospital. Two lime green eight-foot diameter sewer pipes spewing forth multicoloured effluent, the sculpture was a gift from Quebec government valued at $50,000. One of three public art works along the waterfront: Pollution, Time from the Ontario government by Kosso Elou, and another by Ted Bieler from the federal government along the Portsmouth Harbour breakwater, all installed to mark the city's tercentenary. A 25-foot gift  many Kingstonians wish they could return. However, the city parks, recreation and property committee had already voted 4-3 to receive it on November 28, 1973. 

In September, 1974 someone lit a mattress on fire in one of the pipes. Creatively repainted as 7-Up and Coke cans on November 5, 1975, police were called but did not stop the painting. Charged on November 20, 1975 and fined $50 each in January, 1976 were research physiologist Frazer Baker, biochemist Michael Paul and physician Ronald Baker, identified as KGH employees! Their handiwork, which took three weeks to prepare as stencils, was painted over by some other citizens a few days later, then officially by the city's Parks Department in April, 1976 (Whig photo, above) at a cost of their $150 total fines. They got off lucky - the maximum fine that could have been levied by Judge P.E.D. Baker was $1,000 for defacing public property!

An unofficial poll in the Whig found that 140 interviewees wanted the pop can colours kept, 30 wanted it returned to its original colours, an 10 wanted it removed! One columnist in 1974 suggested that the sculpture would be better-suited to emplacement at the former Belle Park dump, thereby reminding us of the more positive implications of its theme. Belle Park was actually the preferred site by the city committee, with the final site fifth as well as being the second choice of the sculptor, who preferred City Park.

The Whig's Jack Chiang creatively framed a laker heading downbound on November 24, 1977 (above).