The Selkirk water tower is undergoing a facelift in the form of a new paint job. (CITY OF SELKIRK)
The City of Selkirk has put out two requests for proposals to find a new design for its iconic water tower.
The tower stands 130 feet in the air and is in need of an aesthetic makeover.
“It needs a new paint job and we’ve been working behind the scenes to get this approved and now we’re going to work with an artist to use this canvas in the sky to help tell the story of our great city,” said Selkirk Mayor Larry Johannson.
“It’s a unique project and one that I think the whole city will be enthusiastic about.”
The two RFPs are for a designer and a painter. In the proposal, the city is asking the artist to consider four concepts — the existing simple text look, a look using the new City of Selkirk brand design, a mural reflective of Selkirk’s heritage or a tasteful and community aligned sponsorship.
“We should get some really good proposals and I’m looking forward to seeing all the submissions and how creative people will get with this,” said Ellie Longbottom, the city’s culture coordinator.
The painter will then be tasked with removing the old layers of paint and bringing the new design to life.
“It’s such a great opportunity to capture the essence of our city and to put it up there, high in the sky, for everyone to see,” Longbottom added.
City officials say, aside from the visual standpoint, the new paint job is needed to act as a shield between environmental elements and the water tower’s metal. If left unchecked, the exterior would eventually deteriorate and impact the tower’s performance.
