A new public art installation The Navigators (Bees, Birds and Butterflies) by local artist Anna Frlan, has been installed along Rideau Street. The new artworks are located at the rear of the three new transit shelters, and tell the story of navigating bus routes through the perspective of Ottawa’s birds and bees.
The bee’s meandering flight path records a bus route from start to finish, while the honeycomb-patterned wings represent the bee’s community. Meteorological symbols embedded within a series of feathers reveal a bird’s ability to sense weather conditions such as air pressure and wind speed. A butterfly is surrounded by Earth’s magnetic fields to help it locate pollen. Safe and purposeful travel is valued by nature, by public transit riders, and by bus drivers who navigate routes through changing seasons.