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I Should Know What That Is…

Mar 03, 2016 10:57AM ● By News Desk

Still wondering what the peculiar looking structure is near the corner of Camellia Boulevard and Academy Road?     

It’s the “Lafayette Strong Pavilion.”

The uniquely designed pavilion is the first of a series of art pieces being erected for what is known as the Camellia Art Park. The art park will span from Johnston St. down Camellia Blvd. and will provide walkers, joggers and bike riders intricate art pieces to view along their route.

 Originally referred to as the Camellia Gridshell, the name was changed to the Lafayette Strong Pavilion in recognition of how the community responded and pulled together in the aftermath of the deadly theater shootings of 2015.

The Lafayette Strong Pavilion is made from thousands of little pieces representing the citizens of Lafayette. The pavilion is constructed from very thin wood and metal pieces. By themselves, they are not very strong. But together—with all of the pieces in place—it makes a very strong structure. It was only fitting it would be named after the community.

Geoff Gjertson, UL professor, headed the project that was funded by a grant titled “Thinking While Doing Partnership” from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, more than two years ago. Three other schools, located in Nova Scotia, North Carolina, Arizona, are involved in the project and will erect their own structure and design. Collectively with ULL, all four schools will design and build a fifth structure in Nova Scotia.