In the News

Sculpture sends message about impaired driving
Burnaby Now
Tom Berridge
December 19, 2009

Mothers Against Drunk Driving is giving the city a sculpture by internationally acclaimed artist Geert Maas.

The Burnaby parks commission unanimously agreed to accept the donation.

The stainless steel with bronze relief sculpture will be affixed to a two-foot concrete base that will be located in Central Park along the rebuilt path to be renamed the Trail of Hope.

The subject matter is a steel circle meant to represent a giant wheel. There will be four cut-out shapes of people's faces on the circle, symbolizing the four people that are killed in Canada every day, on average, by drunk drivers.

A bronze relief at the bottom front of the artwork represents a second wheel - a steering wheel or wheel of a vehicle. The circular motif also represents the support victims can find through MADD.

There are several images on the relief, symbolizing those individuals impacted by the crash. In between those bodies are hollows, representing the missing people.

The MADD legacy project is about remembering those affected by impaired driving and about creating public awareness in the issue, according to the report.

Commissioner Coni O'Neill and council liaison Pietro Calendino both wondered if a park location for the sculpture was the most appropriate.

O'Neill suggested that the lawn in front of city hall on Canada Way might be a more suitable location.

"I just don't think a peaceful park is going to get their message across," said O'Neill.

Calendino suggested a high-traffic pedestrian area such as one of the city's community centres or at the new library might be better locations.

But Heather Edwards, the city's manager of parks planning, design and development, said the artist had been notified and supported the Central Park location.

Commissioner Angela Thiel had the last word on the matter.

"He (Maas) wouldn't be donating this piece of art if he wasn't happy we were locating it in a acceptable location," she said.

Mass's daughter, Marita Maas, was hit and severely injured by an impaired driver in 2007.