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Sculpture swirls into city's center

Dunedin commissioners approve an $85,000 work of art for the new community center.

By SHEELA RAMAN
Published March 14, 2007

DUNEDIN - Fitting with Dunedin's artsy image, the city's new community center is about to be anointed with a swirling, colorful modern sculpture.

It will be designed by California artist Robert Ellison and titled Bounce. It depicts a ball on top of a solid shape that morphs into a spiral.

"Some people may say it's froufrou, but in reality it becomes iconic," city Commissioner Deborah Kynes said. "The children that grow up around that center will always remember that sculpture."

"It had a lot of energy," said Rod Collman, who was on the selection committee that chose Ellison's design over 70 others in January.

"It seems to capture the essence of recreation, which is what happens at the community center," said Collman, an architect with Collman and Karsky Architects in Tampa, the firm that designed the new community center. "The other designs didn't seem to have as much fun and flair."

The $8-million community center at 1920 Pinehurst Road opened in mid January. It includes indoor and outdoor stages, a mirrored dance studio, a fitness center and a branch library with about 3,000 items. The installation of public art at the center is part of the "Recommendations for the Dunedin Cultural Plan," which is a long-term strategy for cultural improvement the commission adopted in July 2006.

The City Commission voted unanimously to award Ellison the contract for the sculpture March 1. The vote went against the recommendation of City Manager Robert DiSpirito, who said it would have been better to gather private funding for the $85,000 project before agreeing to install it.

"I am completely in favor of the project," DiSpirito said. "It's just that when you have a project like this that would easily attract private funding, you should seek that first before using tax dollars."

Kynes and Commissioner Dave Eggers said they appreciated DiSpirito's frugality, even though they voted to move forward with the contract. The only reason Eggers voted yes, he said, was that there is still the opportunity to seek private funding after the contract is awarded.

Although the city had set aside $100,000 for the sculpture, Kynes said it is seeking other funding from corporate sources and specific grants, and by offering naming opportunities.

Sheela Raman can be reached at sraman@sptimes.com or 727 445-4158.

[Last modified March 13, 2007, 23:17:10]