A square slab of cement, once the base for a public art sculpture, faces an uncertain future in Lewes Canalfront Park.
A piece called “Paviljoen” (Dutch for pavilion) sat on the pad for about a year. Artist DeWitt Godfrey removed his twisted steel work back in May, leaving the city-owned base behind.
“It’s got rust stains. It’s not pretty,” said Assistant City Manager Janet Reeves at the Dec. 16 parks and recreation commission meeting.
The commission discussed the options for repurposing or removing the pad.
The base was laid down after the original pad cracked while “Paviljoen” was being set up as the public art committee’s temporary art installation in 2023.
Godfrey put up the sculpture two months later on the new, thicker, reinforced base.
Reeves said the public art committee wants to save, possibly relocate, the cement pad for future art projects.
“If there is not a location, then we will have it scheduled to be [demolished],” Reeves said.
“It would be cheaper to pour another pad than to try and move it,” said Bill Adelman, a parks and rec commission member.
Rodney Robinson, the commissioner who oversees Canalfront Park, said whatever happens to the pad, it should be coordinated with construction of the new playground and the new Overfalls Foundation museum building.
“If it’s going to be moved or demo’d, it’s going to require some significant equipment in there, which is going to tear up the turf. It will have to be repaired and resodded,” he said.
Robinson also expressed concern about the pad being in an area of poor drainage.
“If there will be suggestion to put another piece of art there, make sure you’re aware that it’s surrounded by water periodically, and people might get their feet wet,” Robinson said.
The public art committee is considering three artists for the 2025 temporary art installation. It has not decided where the artwork might be placed.