Two councillors to sit on Shift committee

Shift's designation is still being discussed, and a newly formed ad-hoc committee has set out to facilitate this process.

At last week's Township council meeting, a motion passed to appoint Councillors Cleve Mortelliti and Jane Underhill to sit on this committee.

One of the first items the committee will deal with is a letter from Hickory Hills Investments, owners of the property containing Shift.

The Shift is a wall created by artist Richard Serra that stands in a field in the southwest quadrant of King City.

It is a collection of zigzagging pieces of concrete wall, built in six sections and spanning two hills about 1,500 feet apart. The sections amount to about 815 feet in length.

In its letter of intent sent to the Township, Hickory Hills stated it would "not destroy, remove or alter the sculpture while discussions take place."

King Township Heritage Committee Chair Elaine Robertson, who addressed council at the meeting, said she took issue with this condition. It may just be the wording, she said, but it does beg the question what happens after discussions take place.

While she would like to see this condition addressed, Robertson told council she thought an earlier meeting (prior to receiving the letter) with the property owners was positive.

Both Underhill and Mayor Margaret Black said they too would like to see this wording brought up at the committee meeting.

Mortelliti, who initially drew attention to Shift, cautioned against "rocking the boat," in what he called a good relationship with the property owners. He wondered whether asking to remove this clause would have implications with respect to the discussion process.

The committee was established following a request from Hickory Hills Investments to discuss the designation of Shift with the Township. It will identify the owner's rights and concerns, the means of protecting Shift, and seek a way of providing a form of public access to Serra's creation.

At a council meeting on Jan.14, The King Township Heritage Committee requested that council approve its recommendation to designate Serra's Shift.

While councillors agreed protecting the sculpture is important, they refrained from passing the motion, allowing time for discussions to take place.