‘Waste of money’: Taxpayers Federation slams Saskatoon’s $300k plastic rock art

Saskatoon’s purchase of a public art installation is getting a stone-cold reaction from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

The federation called on the city to “stop wasting money on so-called art,” pointing to the $297,490 purchase of three large plastic rocks located at Diefenbaker Park, the Forestry Farm and the landfill.

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“I can’t believe I need to say this: Taxpayers shouldn’t be paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for plastic rocks,” said Gage Haubrich, the federation’s prairie director in a news release.

“It’s ridiculous and disrespectful to taxpayers that anyone at city hall thought this was a good idea.”

The installation called Modern Erratics, was created by Calgary-based artist duo Sans façon.

“The city could have purchased genuine rocks from local businesses, rather than fake plastic rocks, for about $17,000 to $50,000 each, based on Canadian Taxpayers Federation estimates,” the release said.

The City of Saskatoon purchased the rocks through a policy that dedicates about one per cent of the city’s projects budget to public art.

“The city needs to cancel this one per cent of spending on art policy so it’s not tempted to do anything like this again. It’s a clear waste of money,” Haubrich said.

The federation said the money spent on the sculptures is equivalent to the property tax bills of about 118 average households, while noting Saskatoon’s latest property tax increase of 6.7 per cent.

Saskatoon mayor Cynthia Block said over the years residents and visitors have noticed and appreciated the investments made in public art.

“We are not artists,” she said on The Evan Bray Show. “I would not want to weigh in on any specific kind of art.”

“For many of us that don’t live in the art world, art is, I guess, in the eye of the beholder.”

Block said the art was chosen by a committee of residents and artists, is overseen by the city’s administration, and was not paid for through property tax.

“Sometimes art pieces are chosen and they inspire, and other times they inspire controversy,” Block said.

Block said she understands why residents are questioning the nearly $300,000 price tag and acknowledged it can be difficult for some people to see it as a worthwhile investment.

The mayor also said the city regularly reviews its policies and the controversy could be an opportunity to rethink how Saskatoon funds public art.