Clintonville Arts Guild seeks temporary "Squirrel Door" installations at West Elm Park of Roses

The Columbus Art Commission reviewed a proposal from the Clintonville Arts Guild to install a temporary public-art project — 16 small decorative “squirrel doors” — in the West Elm Park of Roses beginning in the first two weeks of April and remaining through mid-September.

According to the application summary presented to the commission, the Squirrel Door Project will feature created doors mounted at least 6 feet above ground on trees in the Rose Garden to reduce vandalism and theft. The pieces will be built from weather-resistant materials and will be owned and maintained by the Clintonville Arts Guild; the applicant said the guild will perform weekly maintenance for the six months that the doors are installed and will enter a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Recreation and Parks for maintenance responsibilities.

Laura Partridge, identified in the meeting as president of the Clintonville Arts Guild, explained the project’s collaborative nature and selection process. “We will work in teams,” Partridge said, describing guild members dividing into small groups to design and build the doors. The applicants said earlier iterations of similar community art resulted in pieces being auctioned at a later guild sale to raise funds for the project.

Why it matters: the project would place artwork in a public park during prime spring and summer months and would require ongoing maintenance, coordination with Recreation and Parks, and a temporary agreement governing ownership and removal.

Staff analysis cited Columbus City Code section 3.115.05 as the standard guiding commission review and determined the proposal “meets code guidelines” for a temporary installation, while noting the applicant will need an MOU with Recreation and Parks for maintenance.

Commissioners asked about specifics: proposed installation timing (first two weeks of April through mid-September), daily/weekly maintenance plans, how the pieces would be sited and identified on maps or story materials for park visitors, and whether the pieces could be sold after the display period. The guild said the previous temporary project produced many requests for ownership; they subsequently sold surplus pieces at a guild sale to fund future projects.

Action: members moved to advance the project from conceptual review to action so the commission could consider final approval and any required agreements. The record contains a motion to move the project to action and a motion to take the piece to vote; the transcript does not include a roll-call vote or recorded tally in the provided excerpt. Staff will coordinate the MOU and any required park approvals before a final vote.

Next steps: staff to work with the Clintonville Arts Guild and Recreation and Parks to finalize an MOU and prepare the project for final action by the commission.