New art for McEuen Park

Posted: 7/23/2014 11:16:39 AM

The third piece of public art was installed at McEuen Park on Wednesday at the Third Street entrance on Front Avenue. Allium Spring Chorus is the work of Somerville, Mass., artist David Tonnesen, who made his first trip to Coeur d’Alene to help set it up. The inspiration of the design is the allium plant, a wild onion that is native to Idaho. The three flower heads include hundreds of metal stars that will catch and reflect light from six LED lights shining gold and purple. The art includes 2,800 separate pieces in all and took six months to create, the artist said. Cost of the piece was $110,000. The next pieces of art to be installed at the park will be The Explorers, a bronze sculpture representing two boys and a girl playing on a log, and American Worker, a bronze statue paying tribute to the working class. The Explorers will be installed at the base of Tubbs Hill at the trail confluence. American Worker, donated by local businessman Dean Haagenson, will on Front Avenue near Sixth Street. Both pieces are expected to be installed in August.

Coeur d'Alene recreation director Steve Anthony, left, and artist David Tonnenson install Allium Spring Chorus.