Welland city council will consider spending more than $13,000 on adding artistic flare to eight utility boxes owned by Bell across the city.

This comes after a presentation made by graphic designer Aldo Parrotta last week when he petitioned the city to get involved in the Bell Box Murals Project, an initiative started in 2009, touching Toronto, southern Ontario and Quebec since it launched.

A total cost of $13,200 would involve the selection of artists from Welland who would paint the boxes and see them getting paid $750 each for their involvement. The price tag would also cover maintenance of the murals, which would be performed by Bell field services staff, Parrotta told councillors last Tuesday.

A project co-ordinator from Bell would oversee the artist selection process.

In an interview with The Tribune on the weekend, Parrotta said this could be a great opportunity for public art.

"Why can this not happen in Welland? We have so many artists and public spaces," he said.

Parrotta said "a lot more" can be done in Welland to grow as an artistic community.

"I have a lot of ideas, but this is just one," he said standing next to a potential mural surface near the Welland courthouse and civic square.

He said the art on the boxes would be relevant to the neighbourhood they are located in. He does not have an exact number on how many there are in the city.

After the first year and financial commitment from council, Parrotta hopes that sponsorships and community partnerships might keep the effort alive for years to come without having to use public dollars.

"I understand it's taxpayers' money," he said.

Parrotta said the boxes would be clear coated, allowing an easy fix if they are vandalized with graffiti.

Mayor Frank Campion called the initiative "fantastic" and said he has known about Parrotta's effort to bring it to light for several months.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

A motion by Ward 3 Coun. John Chiocchio that the amount requested for the project be added to 2020 budget review committee discussions was supported by the majority of council.

Parrotta said murals would be painted between June and September.