The city started a Public Art Master Plan in 2007 — the same year the council voted to start dedicating 3 percent of the city’s transient occupancy tax proceeds to public arts.

In 2015, Zoccola applied following a national call for a city of Ashland contemporary art project. She was chosen with her first design, “Gather,” in September the same year.

Following a public outcry, the council tasked Zoccola was creating an alternative design, which later became “Threshold.” The City Council chose it over “Gather” in June 2016.

“I love Ashland and I am honored to make the sculpture there,” Zoccola said in an interview in December. “I’m glad the process let me be inspired to create ‘Threshold.’”

—  reporter Tran Nguyen, Tidings.