Work to repair Edmonton’s infamous Talus Dome art installation in west Edmonton has hit a bit of a hiccup.
The Edmonton Arts Council said there have been some delays with the insurance and hiring a local contractor to do the repairs.
However, Jenna Turner, communications director for the council, said the fence around the art piece will be taken down once repairs are complete.
“We’ve had a lot of interest from citizens who are keen to be able to take photos at the artwork once again,” she said via email.
In an Aug. 2 update, Turner said repairs were scheduled to start on Aug. 8.
“The repair costs are being covered by insurance. The contract has been awarded to a local company,” she said.
In a timely tribute, the Edmonton Riverhawks baseball team is donning Talus Balls-themed jerseys for Friday’s game.
On April 10, a 26-year-old man named Wakeen Courtoreille climbed onto the balls, fell inside the structure and got stuck.
Fire crews had to be called out to Whitemud Drive by the Quesnell Bridge and were able to remove one of the public art structure’s silver balls to let Courtrilli out. He was later charged with mischief.
The artwork — arguably one of the most recognizable pieces of public art in Edmonton — was also damaged by vandals in August 2018 who covered some of balls with green paint.