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Council approves $486,619 Taylor Park playable-art contract despite dissent over tree removals
Summary
The council awarded a $486,619 contract to Bliss Products to construct a playable-art installation at Taylor Park and approved a $175,000 budget amendment for site work; Councilmember Harkness opposed the location citing removal of five trees and requested a recent arborist report.
DULUTH, Ga. — The Duluth Mayor and Council on May 8 approved a $486,619 construction and installation contract with Bliss Products for a large-scale playable-art piece at Taylor Park and authorized a $175,000 General Fund budget amendment to cover site work including retaining walls, a concrete art pad and shade sails.
City Manager James Riker and staff presented the project background and design development; the selected team (ID Sculpture with Bliss Products) had been chosen through a prior RFQ and design phase. Staff said five trees will be removed to install the piece and noted an earlier arborist evaluation—cited by staff—as indicating the trees were in decline and posed safety concerns.
Councilmember Harkness said he supported the art concept but objected to the proposed location because he did not consider the prior arborist evaluation sufficiently recent and wanted an updated official report before removing trees that provide shade. Councilmember Whitlock, Councilmember Graeder and others said they had inspected the site and supported removal for public safety and future tree replacement; Councilmember Doss said the design had improved through staff-designer collaboration.
A motion to approve the Bliss Products contract for construction and installation carried with Councilmembers Thomas, Doss, Graeder and Whitlock voting for and Councilmember Harkness voting against. The council subsequently approved ordinance BA-FY23-25 to add $175,000 in General Funds to the project budget.
Why it matters: The project represents a significant public-art investment and triggered a policy trade-off between enhancing a park feature now and immediate loss of mature shade trees. Council discussion emphasized public safety, design improvements, and future replanting.
What’s next: Staff will execute the contract and proceed with installation; the minutes note tree removals and replacement planning but do not record an updated arborist report in the meeting record.
