Let's talk about the Jubilee Terrace Park Public Art Project

The City of Brantford is seeking input on a new public art piece for Jubilee Terrace Park that will honour the courage and sacrifice of those who have served, and continue to serve, Canada during times of war, military conflict, and peace. Please review the four proposals below and provide your feedback through the online survey before Friday, July 24, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Proposals

Arch of the Unbroken by Hooman Mehdizadehjafari

Inspired by the subtle form of a feather, this proposal presents a timeless public artwork that brings light to the courage of Brantford's servicemen/women and honours the sacrifices of the residents who have served our country in times of both conflict and peace. At its core, the feather is an enduring cross­cultural symbol of freedom, lightness, peace, honour, and spiritual connection, offering a meaningful and unifying expression of remembrance. Rather than depicting war or military imagery directly, elements that can carry heavy and often painful associations, the proposed concept approaches remembrance through reflection. The feather in this context becomes a symbolic expression of what endures beyond conflict: a shared recognition of loss, the resilience of the community, and the profound, hard-earned value of peace. Peace may follow every war, but it is never without immense cost, measured in human lives, sacrifice, and loss. It is through this understanding that we come to value peace, and it is this meaning that the artwork seeks to honour. Titled "Arch of the Unbroken", the artwork illustrates a curvature in the feather form that is central to the concept. Rather than lying flat, the feather rises in a gentle bend, suggesting resilience over surrender. This gesture speaks to the lived reality of Canadians who have served: individuals and families who have faced the pressures of conflict, adapted, and carried forward despite lasting impacts. The arch becomes a visual expression of strength, amplifying the capacity to endure and remain whole. The title, "Arch of the Unbroken", reflects this idea directly. It honours those who were tested by war and conflict yet were not defeated by it. "Unbroken" does not imply untouched; rather, it recognizes resilience, the ability to carry loss and adapt while continuing to live and serve.

Review Arch of the Unbroken Proposal

Eternal Flame by James Cameron Smith

"Eternal Flame" transforms the moment of remembrance, the 11th hour, 11th day, 11th month, into a permanent civic initiative, where eleven ascending steel flame design elements embody Canadian collective memory, sacrifice, and enduring solidarity. Poignantly rooted in Brantford’s military history, the work reinterprets the site of the WWI field howitzer to create a contemporary landmark for the site in order to establish a space for reflection, resilience, and shared remembrance.

Eleven twisting flame-like steel geometries rise dramatically to evoke a unique sculptural installation titled Eternal Flame. The eleven oxidized russet/umber-hued A588 Corten steel forms rise in a unified, intertwined formation. Each of the eleven components maintains an individual presence, while at the upper peaks, paired flame components are connected with a welded reinforcing bond to suggest mutual support, shared burden, and enduring comradeship, echoing the lived realities of military service. The eleven forms reference 11:11, marking Remembrance Day in Canada, providing a peaceful context for reflections on unity, continuity, and collective memory. Together, these flames generate a rhythmic, expansive, and rising movement that draws the eye skyward, suggesting remembrance not as a static act, but as an emotionally activating and ongoing commitment.

This monumental sculpture renews and regenerates Jubilee Park’s memorial narrative. It transfigures the commemorative focus from an instrument of war to a shared space of reflection. Eternal Flame offers a language of resilience, transformation, and collective memory - honouring those who served while acknowledging the enduring impact of their sacrifice on the community.

The sharply articulated peaks register the rupturing force of conflict - moments of violence, fracture, and loss - while the overall composition resolves into a cohesive and grounded whole. Kaleidoscopic flashes of daylight gleam through voids between the undulating flames. This tension between fragmentation and solidarity reflects the complex legacy of military service: resilience, steadfastness, and sacrifice. Fabricated in Corten weathering steel, the sculpture adopts a material language of endurance and transformation. Its evolving patina records time and exposure, reinforcing the memorial’s role as a long-term Brantford landmark.

While flames are typically ephemeral, here they are rendered permanent, a memorial anchoring memory within an enduring civic form. The warm, oxidized surface resonates with both the material history of industrial fabrication and the visual language of remembrance, offering a solemn yet approachable presence within the park landscape. The lighting plan uses the existing light fixtures, optimizing the uplighting orientation and position to best illuminate the flames.

"Eternal Flame" offers Brantford a striking contemporary memorial that honours its past while creating an enduring space for reflection - transforming remembrance into a shared, living presence within the Brantford community.

Review Eternal Flame Proposal

Field of Service by Kyle Thornley

"Field of Service" is a sculptural installation of oversized corn poppies with buds and leaves grounded within a landscape of churned earth. The work is inspired by Brantford’s long military history and by the many personal and family connections to service that continue throughout the community today.

Most people recognize the poppy immediately. It’s a symbol many of us carry in different ways - through family stories, remembrance ceremonies, photographs, memorials, or quiet personal reflection. Field of Service builds on that shared recognition and transforms it into something living, growing, and hopeful.

The title speaks to both place and people. A “field” can suggest many things at once - a field of poppies, a field of memory, or a shared ground shaped by acts of service across generations. The title reflects the idea that service is never carried by one person alone. Its impact spreads outward through families, communities, and time itself. In this way, the installation becomes not only a tribute to military service but also a space for connection.

The sculpture follows the life cycle of the poppy, from tightly closed buds to fully opened blooms and seed forms. The buds speak to beginnings and potential. The blossoms honour those who served and sacrificed. The seed forms represent legacy - the way memory, courage, and shared values are carried forward within families and communities. This progression mirrors Brantford’s enduring military lineage, extending from early service through the World Wars to modern deployments, peacekeeping efforts, and future generations who carry these histories forward.

At the base of the work, sculpted concrete takes the form of disturbed earth inspired by First World War battlefields, where poppies famously emerged across damaged landscapes. The contrast between rough terrain and vivid blooms speaks to resilience, healing, and renewal - life continuing even after hardship and conflict.

The flowers are arranged to suggest a gentle turning toward the light, inspired by the way real poppies naturally orient themselves toward warmth and sunlight, creating a subtle sense of movement throughout the installation. The composition follows the gentle curve created where Colborne Street bends away from Brant Street around the park. The outer blossoms angle slightly outward, while the central blooms face more directly forward. This creates a natural sweeping form that connects the sculpture to the movement and flow of the surrounding streets while allowing it to unfold visually from multiple directions.

Field of Service responds to the evolving commemorative landscape of Jubilee Terrace Park. Rather than replacing history, the work reflects a changing way of remembering - one that creates space not only for reflection on the past, but also for conversations about peace, community, care, and hope for the future.

Review Field of Service Proposal

The Quiet Strength of Brantford by Marie-Josée Leroux

My proposal for Brantford is rooted in the recognition of a quiet strength: the archetype of the feminine figure who sustains the foundations of peace and freedom. I bring here a symbol representing those who traditionally work in the shadows, the families, the nurturers, and the partners whose persistent labour is the bedrock upon which our collective security is built.

This work is a dedicated tribute to what I call the “Sentinelles de l’invisible”, the Sentinels of the Unseen. This concept represents those who serve and sacrifice in the quiet shadows of history, providing the persistent resilience that sustains our community. It acknowledges the silent sacrifice and the heavy emotional burden borne by families when a loved one is deployed abroad for military duty. To embody this strength, I have chosen a sincere and stripped-back aesthetic. The figure wears a very simple garment, returning the work to a natural and honest symbolism. This minimalist approach removes the superfluous, allowing the viewer to focus on the essence of the presence and the timeless nobility of the stone. Interestingly, during the creation of the maquette, the form of this feminine archetype began to evoke a subtle resonance with the spirit of E. Pauline Johnson, Brantford’s celebrated poet. While the sculpture remains a universal symbol of resilience, this unintended echo of a local figure who dedicated her life to bridging cultures adds a profound layer of local meaning, anchoring the sentinel in the very soil and history of Brantford.

Review The Quiet Strength of Brantford Proposal

Share your thoughts

Residents are now invited to provide feedback on the four proposals using the form below. The final selected artist(s) will be determined through a combination of scoring criteria and deliberation by the Selection Panel.

Project Background

The City of Brantford has issued an Artist Call for the creation of a new public artwork to be installed in Jubilee Terrace Park at 10 Brant Avenue. The commissioned sculpture will honour the courage and sacrifice of those who have served, and continue to serve, Canada during times of war, military conflict, and peace.

This project was initiated due to the relocation of the German Field Howitzer, captured by Brantford military during the First World War. The cannon will be rehomed inside the Canadian Military Heritage Museum to ensure its longevity and lasting connection to the community. The new public art piece will honour this history, while also looking to the future. The selected artist or artist team will be responsible for engaging with key community stakeholders to explore themes related to local military groups and the armoury.

Four shortlisted artists have been selected through an open, two-stage process facilitated by STEPS Public Art, a Canadian charity and social enterprise that fosters vibrant communities through public art, and have developed detailed proposals.