Chinook-A-Tron Sculpture re-installed in Downtown Lethbridge

Chinook-A-Tron artist, Alex Pavlenko (right)

Pre-installation inspection (May 2011)

Wranglin' Willie (310 - 6 Street South)

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The Chinook-A-Tron is once again whirling and spinning at its Downtown Lethbridge location on 7th Street South (east side of Foster and Sons Jewellers - 622 - 3 Avenue S.).

Last spring, the first version of this unique sculpture was at the losing end of a battle with one of the strongest southern Alberta winds in recent memory. The Chinook-A-Tron's creator, Alex Pavlenko, rebuilt and reinforced it with a number of new metal supports. The refurbishment will hopefully provide the Chinook-A-Tron with a fighting chance the next time we encounter a major wind storm. Besides the reinforced elements, a few new kinetic pieces were added to the sculpture.

This art project is a partnership between the Downtown Business Revitalization Zone (DBRZ) and the City of Lethbridge. The Chinook-A-Tron is the second in a series of kinetic sculptures that have been commissioned by the DBRZ. The first sculpture, Wranglin' Willie, sits atop a similar pole in front of the DBRZ office (310 - 6 Street South). The goal is to have a number of these whirly-gig type sculptures installed throughout the downtown core. We want to take full advantage of one of the enduring features of Southern Alberta - the wind.

The DBRZ is also working with another local artist, Jason Trotter, on a historic mural depicting an image of one of the many electric streetcars that graced our downtown streets during the turn of last century. This mural project is a joint partnership between the property owners of the installation site (309 - 6 Street S.), DBRZ and the City of Lethbridge's Heart of Our City Revitalization Committee. The mural is expected to completed and installed sometime during the summer of 2011.

Jason is responsible for five other historic murals that have been installed throughout the downtown. Jason stencils photographic images on perforated metal sheets that can be installed, and potentially relocated, on a variety of building surfaces.

For more information on Alex Pavlenko or Jason Trotter, please contact Ted at the DBRZ office - 403-327-9002.