Eucalyptus art at Ruocco Park in Harbor District

An interesting local public-art installation can be found in Ruocco Park, 3.3 acres of bayfront land that were dedicated on September 18, 2012, according to the Port of San Diego website.

Located west of Pacific Highway and south of Harbor Drive, the park is named after Lloyd and Ilse Ruocco, who, 25 years ago, established a fund for the purpose of building parks in the central part of San Diego.

The installation, called Riparium, is the work of Roman de Salvo, a San Diego resident and nationally recognized artist. It stands approximately 45 feet high, 70 feet wide, and consists of large sections of eucalyptus trees, sliced lengthwise. Each of the slabs is connected to the other, forming a natural-wood web suspended trellis-like, overhead. One end of the piece is partially framed by two steel beams resting on cement-block posts. The other end of the sculpture hangs seemingly in mid-air, suspended by long cables that slope down from tall, centrally located posts, suggestive of a ship’s mast and rigging.

The rest of the park consists of open, green lawn with trees and contemporary-looking wood-and-steel benches. The park, which stands on the former site of the Harbor Seafood Mart, is a short walk from Seaport Village.