SAUGATUCK TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Officials with Saugatuck Township hosted a dedication ceremony Wednesday in honor of the township’s first public art piece, “Canary in a Coal Mine.”
“Canary in a Coal Mine” is a welded steel sculpture that was installed at the Bluestar Highway Old/Allegan Road roundabout along the Bluestar Trail in May.
The yellow sculpture stands at 11-feet tall and relates to the phrase “canary in a coal mine,” which dates back to 1911 when coal miners would take a canary into a mine, officials said.
If the canary sensed carbon monoxide, it would fly out –preventing any fatal consequences.
The sculpture, created by Shawn Morin of Bowling Green, Ohio, features two yellow shapes at the top and bottom of the art piece, suggesting a bird form that has been transformed, officials said, adding that the two long columns represent the coal mine shaft where the space between is narrow and almost impossible to enter.
“This piece is very important to us,” Saugatuck Township Manager Daniel DeFranco said. “This is not only a huge safety infrastructure improvement that the township’s made, but also a beautification of the Blue Star corridor. We see this as the start of something bigger. We have a vision for Blue Star to transform it into a walkable, beautiful pedestrian corridor that’s friendly for both residents and businesses.”
According to officials, “Canary in a Coal Mine” was funded in part by a $4,050 grant from the Saugatuck Douglas Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, and a $1,000 donation from art gallery, Capizzo Studio, in Saugatuck Township. While it is the first public art piece in Saugatuck Township, the sculpture is the sixth new public sculpture since 2023 within the Saugatuck, Douglas and Fennville area.