WINNIPEG –
The final remnant of a statue of Queen Victoria on the entrance garden of the Manitoba legislature is being cleared away within the coming days, greater than a 12 months after the statue was toppled.
The giant pedestal that served as the bottom of the statue remained intact and can quickly endure upkeep work.
There continues to be no resolution on what could turn out to be of the statue and the pedestal, and the provincial authorities is inspecting choices for a brand new statue or different construction to put instead.
The statue was tied with ropes and hauled to the bottom on Canada Day final 12 months throughout an indication over the deaths of Indigenous youngsters at residential colleges.
The head was removed and located the subsequent day within the close by Assiniboine River.
While the statue was later taken away, the pedestal has till now remained in place, nonetheless lined with pink paint within the kind of palms.
“The province is working to clear the area in entrance of the legislative constructing and is eradicating the bottom of the statue,” the federal government’s communication division stated in a written assertion Monday.
“No selections have been made concerning the area, however within the interim this upkeep work will be achieved to defend the pedestal till a last resolution on its future is made.”
While the statue was toppled in an space lined by many safety cameras, nobody was ever charged with inflicting the harm.
Earlier this 12 months, Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen stated the statue had been assessed as past restore. He added it might not be replicated as that will price $500,000 or extra.
A smaller statue of Queen Elizabeth II, on a facet garden subsequent to the lieutenant-governor’s home, was additionally toppled however suffered much less harm. That one is being repaired and can be put again in place, Goertzen has stated.
In on-line dialogue boards final spring, some folks urged the damaged Queen Victoria statue be put in in a museum as-is to commemorate the demonstrations over the deaths of youngsters at residential colleges.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Nov. 7, 2022