Tim desClouds's sculptures of patron saints and pagan gods were among the five public art finalist on display Tuesday night. (Kate Porter/CBC)

People who like to stroll along Ottawa's Preston Street got an early glimpse of some of the new public artwork that will soon grace the street's new piazzas and wider sidewalks.

Miniature versions of the five finalists for a $185,000 commission that would line the "Corso Italia" were on display Tuesday night at the St. Anthony Italia Soccer Club. The public was invited to provide comments that will be used by a jury to choose the winning proposal Thursday.

Hilda Nantais, who has lived on Preston Street for 32 years, was among neighbourhood residents who came out to examine the swivelling granite spheres, Venetian canal boats sculpted from metal and benches tiled with checkerboards.

"I love the street. So anything that can enhance it is a good thing," she said.

She sees the new coffee shop from a popular chain and a busy pub that have moved onto her street as such enhancements, although she said she wants Preston Street to keep its flavour as the Italian district.

"And there's a lot of that in the artwork, which is good."

Art to keep Italian heritage alive: artist

Artist Tim desClouds was one of the five finalists. He showed off smaller versions of the sculptures of patron saints and pagan gods that he would erect on poles above the street. They would be modelled after people in the community and include the family crests of immigrants who left Italy to settle on Preston Street.

He chose to include many references to Little Italy's past because the streetscape is changing, he said.

"A lot of the family businesses are getting eaten up a bit and that's kind of sad," he said. "So this, I think, will keep that heritage alive."

One of desClouds's competitors, c.j. fleury, said her idea is to create 15 columns, each with text taken from letters, archives, or stories from elderly people in the community.

"I really want to connect with the community that was really part of the big immigration here in the '50s and '60s," she said.

The artwork is part of a $30-million municipal infrastructure project to replace the sewers and rebuild Preston Street itself. The city has a long-standing policy of putting one per cent of its construction budget for public buildings and roadwork toward public art.

The artists who created the three other finalists for Preston Street were:

• Adrian Göllner and Joanna Swim.
• Chandler Swain and Carolynne Pynn-Trudeau.
• Jennifer Macklem and Kip Jones.