‘More than just a bridge’: A dozen buildings and public art showcased at Gordie Howe Bridge Project

Artist Sara Graham gets her first in-person look at her art installation, “On the Other Side of Tomorrow,” in Windsor, Ont. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. The seven-metre tall stamped-concrete panels emblazon the side of a maintenance building on the site of the Gordie Howe International Bridge Project. (Rich Garton/CTV News Windsor)

When we look at the Gordie Howe International Bridge Project the bridge itself gets all of the attention.

It’s easy to forget the project encompasses about 20 different construction projects on both sides of the border, all happening at once.

On Wednesday, The Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority and contractor Bridging North America showcased elements of public art and progress on some of those buildings.

This art installation is called “On the Other Side of Tomorrow,” featuring 22 stamped concrete panels lining the facade of a maintenance building.

The art was created using a process called “form lining” and uses illustrative mapping techniques to showcase a variety of textures. These create themes showcasing Canadian life and scenery, including suburban, industrial, farmland, mountains, road systems, water and more.

“This is by far the biggest one I've ever done,” said artist Sara Graham, who hails from London, Ont. but now lives in Port Moody, B.C.

She was commissioned after a nation-wide call and for years, worked through a modelling process — mostly virtually.

The installation was recently completed and Graham finally got to see the fruits of her labour in-person Wednesday.

“This was the first time that I got to see the work and it is just awe-inspiring,” said Graham, who is just now coming to the realization that millions of people will drive by her art every year, as it’s positioned directly next to the primary inspection lanes entering Canada.

“It's overwhelming. I mean this whole process and just the thought that people will be seeing this every single day and like you said it's amazing,” Graham said.

A scaled version of this work will also be featured in an upcoming exhibit at Art Windsor-Essex, called “Cut offs, off-cuts and cast-offs.” The exhibition will take place from March 24 until May 28.

“So often when people look at art, whether it's in a gallery or in a public art, there's questions around how did the artists make that? How did they get that idea?” said Jennifer Matotek, the executive director of Art Windsor-Essex. “I think being able to have the exhibition up, give people some insight into Sara's process, how she got to, you know, working in her studio to what is visible outside.”

But that’s not all that’s going on through winter construction at the site.

Twelve structures are simultaneously being constructed on the 130 acre plot of land at the Canadian Port of Entry and eight more stateside. The Canadian builds include the main CBSA facility secondary inspection area, the primary inspection lines and toll booths, to name a few.

“Remember the buildings are already framed in, so if you can work inside the building year-round, which is helpful,” said Bridging North American CEO Michael Hatchell, who said work there is clipping along.

Work on the bridge itself is also moving well, with crews now installing the cable-stays that hold the bridge up as construction of the road deck begins to move across the Detroit River.

As CTV previously reported, while the goal for completion remains November of 2024, the project timeline has fallen behind schedule.

“It’s moved,” Hatchell said. “And we're trying to get back to that day just because of the impact we've had from COVID.”