Spur Line

Description: The artwork consists of benches, sidewalk inserts and pedestrian handrail dispersed along the pathway.  

Bases made from recycled railroad rail torn out of the site support some of the benches, which are made of salvaged boom logs.  The benches are supported by a vocabulary of galvanized steel rail, tie plates, spikes and rail tongs.

The utilitarian-industrial-style galvanized steel railing incorporates some of the old railroad rail as end posts. The railing is topped in places with planks from the old boom logs which serve as “leaning rails”—places to prop one’s arms upon while gazing out at the lake. Cover plates on the leaning rails are stainless steel, etched with stories about the lakeshore. Lengths of railroad rail—all that remains of the switching track or spur line—are set into the concrete sidewalk at several locations. Also in the sidewalk are bronze words about lakeshore history. A whimsical galvanized steel “listening tube”, a double-belled reference to speaking tubes used on old boats to connect above with below, carries the sound of water from an innovative below-ground stormwater treatment unit—but only when it’s raining.

Location: Westlake Shore Roadway Avenue North between Blaine Street & Crockett Street