Plans to put up a Holodomor monument in North Battleford have been approved. The monument will be installed in remembrance of those who perished in the 1932-33 Ukraine famine, a famine engineered by the Soviet Union.
Last week, North Battleford City Council approved locating a monument on the walk between Riverview and downtown North Battleford. The Battlefords Ukrainian Cultural Council has agreed the site will be acceptable and the monument is expected to be in place by the end of August.
The Holodomor monument was approved under the new monuments and cairns policy adopted in April of this year. The Battlefords Ukrainian Cultural Council originally made the request to install a monument more than a year ago, suggesting it be located in Central Park.
The request was put on hold while a policy for cairns and monuments was established. A visual arts placement policy is probably in the offing as well.
Last Monday's recommendation to council from administration stated there are currently some uncertainties regarding the function of Central and future development and improvements will be required. It may benefit from a master plan for the future, it was noted.
Additionally, the recommendation stated, Central Park has an ambience that may benefit more from sculptural artistic media than monuments based on historical events.
"The former Parks and Recreation Department had a vision of establishing an art and cultural corridor that extends from Allen Sapp Gallery to the Chapel Gallery. This is a paved walking trail with lighting that supports both art and cultural points of interest," stated the recommendation.
"Presently there is a Francophone cultural flag along this route, along with a number of sculpture pads. It is the future intent to link the two galleries via this path through educational programming and initiatives offered by Leisure Services for schools, groups and individuals."
It was added that the location provides excellent exposure to travellers who enter the city from Highway 4 South, and at the same time promotes the walkway itself. It would also accommodate future monuments of a cultural and historical nature.
The Holodomor statue is already built and has been in storage for the past four years. The design is international in scope and similar statues have been erected in cities in Canada and across the world.
It is made of steel, is approximately 10 feet tall, five feet wide and about an inch thick.
The Battlefords Ukrainian Cultural Council is to pay for the cost of the cement pad, which is $400. Current practice is for the City to pay for maintenance and conservation of any commemorations or artistic statues acquired by the City.
