Call for Expressions of Interest: Tolton Park Public Art Commission, Town of Halton Hills

Tolton Park natural path and escarpment features, Town of Halton Hills.

Public Art Commission – Tolton Park Functional Seating
Town of Halton Hills

Budget: $33,000 CAD
Submission Deadline: January 30, 2026
Anticipated Installation Date: November 2026

Project Brief

The Town of Halton Hills is undertaking a process to commission a permanent public artwork for the soon to be completed Tolton Park located at 11134 22 Side Road in Limehouse, Ontario. The town invites professional artists to submit expressions of interest to develop functional art seating* for the park. Citizen-identified themes for the park include a natural design aesthetic; a balance of functionality with ecological features; and responding to the historic character of the site. This competition is open to Canadian artists and/or artist-teams. While this is a national competition, local and regional artists are encouraged to apply.

While proposals are not requested at this stage of the competition, we encourage artists to speak to artwork themes in their application and a general approach to the site. The creation of a functional public artwork for Tolton Park will be achieved through a two-stage competition administered by the Town of Halton Hills. In stage one, artists will be reviewed by an art adjudication panel based on artistic merit, past work, professional qualifications, and experience. In stage two, short-listed artists will be required to submit detailed artwork proposals that will be displayed for public feedback before being reviewed by an art adjudication panel comprised of arts professionals and community stakeholders. The final selected artist(s) will enter into a contract with the Town of Halton Hills for the artwork creation and installation stage of the project. The final artwork will be completed in fall 2026.

*Functional art seating blends artistic expression with practical use, creating a visually striking yet usable feature for people in an outdoor public park setting. It blurs the lines between sculptural fixture and creative design utilizing unique materials and forms to create a one-of-a-kind feature(s) for Tolton Park.

Site Background

The Town of Halton Hills is located on the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, as well as the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat and the Haudenosaunee peoples. Located within the Credit River watershed, the tributary of Black Creek flows through Limehouse. Prior to the arrival of European settlers, the Credit River was central to Indigenous ways of life, supporting settlements, fisheries, horticulture, transportation, and trade.

Limehouse, Ontario, is a historic hamlet within the Town of Halton Hills that traces its roots to the early 19th century. Originally called Fountain Green, it was settled around 1820 and quickly became an industrial hub thanks to its rich limestone deposits. By the mid-1800s, Limehouse was known for its lime kilns, quarrying, and mills, with the Grand Trunk Railway fueling growth and connecting the community to broader markets. The lime industry shaped the village’s character, leaving behind striking remnants such as draw kilns and powder magazines, now preserved within the Limehouse Conservation Area along the Bruce Trail. Tolton Park is located within the heart of Limehouse and the property contains escarpment features, and remnants of the quarry and kiln history.

The design and construction of Tolton Park is currently being advanced. Potential locations for the artwork have been identified as part of the park design. The Town is also willing to consider alternate locations within the park in collaboration with the successful artist.

Through the public consultation process for the park design, the community expressed a very strong desire for the park to have a natural aesthetic, not an urban feeling, and to blend with the natural surroundings and historic character of the hamlet.

More information on the park development is available on the Town’s Let’s Talk page.

Compensation

Up to three (3) artists or artist teams will be shortlisted and paid $2000 CAD to develop detailed proposals.

The selected commissioned artist(s) will receive $9,000 (CAD) + HST.** Fabrication and installation costs of up to $20,000 may be covered by the Town and are not included in this artist fee.

**This fee includes (but is not limited to): preparation of the final design, coordination and technical consultations including approvals or other expertise as required, preparation of any information and/or documentation, attendance at meetings and site visits, travel to the site and to meetings as required, artwork delivery, attendance at the installation of the completed artwork, and unveiling event.

Selection Process

Proposals will be reviewed by an independent Art Adjudication Panel comprised of art professionals and community stakeholders. The panel will receive technical input and advice from appropriate Town staff. This will be achieved through a two-stage competition. In stage one, artists will be reviewed by an art adjudication panel based on artistic merit, past work, professional qualifications, and experience. In stage two, short-listed artists will be required to submit detailed artwork proposals that will be displayed for public feedback before being reviewed by a second art adjudication panel. The Art Adjudication Panel will recommend one artist or artist team for the award of the commission to the Town’s Public Art Advisory Board for approval.

Additional Information

The full call including submission guidelines, schedule, and additional information can be found under artist calls on the Town’s website. Please consult the submission package before completing your application.

Please refer to the Town of Halton Hills Public Art Master Plan for additional details about public art in Halton Hills.

Contact

For questions, or applicants requiring additional support regarding this call, please contact: publicart@haltonhills.ca

Town of Halton Hills
1 Halton Hills Drive
Halton Hills, ON L7G 5G2
www.haltonhills.ca