The structure was placed in Portage Square in downtown Canal Flats on Friday.
The Village of Canal Flats said the art project was made a reality through funding from the Columbia Basin Trust Public Art Grant Program.
“The Portal” was created by Paul Reimer, a Columbia Basin artist, who used rocks collected from the Kootenay River for the piece.
“This artwork is an invitation to explore Canal Flats – its community, history, and natural environment,” said the Village. “Its fluid form reflects the passage of time, the evolution of industry and technology, and the beauty and power of the waterbodies which surround the Village.”
The Village said the sculpture was created from repurposed steel from the former sawmill. Donated by the Columbia Lake Technology Centre, the material makes up the majority of the art piece.
An important part of Canal Flats’ history, the former sawmill was in the Village from 1928 to 2015.
A plaque with “The Portal” and Reimer’s name will soon be installed alongside the piece.
(Supplied by the Village of Canal Flats)
*** Story by Josiah Spyker ***
