Restored Totem Poles return to Gwacheon Park

May 15, 2024 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Airdrie, AB – The six Gwacheon Park Totem Poles located in Nose Creek Regional Park made their return home on Friday, May 3, 2024. The restoration gives the poles at least a decade’s longevity, honouring the past relationship between Airdrie and Gwacheon.

“The restoration of the Totem Poles was more extensive than originally thought and included sanding, soaking in linseed oil, repainting to original colours in linseed oil paint, restoring cracked ears, installing metal brackets and a newly poured foundation to support all six totems,” said Kim Harris, community developer at the City of Airdrie.

The restoration of totems is part of the project to rejuvenate Gwacheon Park after 20 years since its inception.
“The City of Airdrie dedicated the Gwacheon Park to all the citizens of the City of Gwacheon in 2003, to recognize the significance the past relationship between the two cities. The restoration of the Totem Poles and Gwacheon Park, enriches and protects the history of the two communities, offering the residents of Airdrie a beautiful piece of public art to experience and enjoy,” said Mayor Peter Brown.

Other efforts of rejuvenation of the park include relevant plantation, incorporating the butterfly design in the Gwacheon City flag and building a wooden gateway into the park to conform to a historical scroll that was used as a guiding document for the building of Gwacheon Park.

A ceremony to recognize the restoration of Gwacheon Park as well as the Totem Poles will be held at Gwacheon Park in September 2024. To learn more about the project, please visit airdrie.ca/publicart.

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Media contact:
Kim Harris
Community Developer
kim.harris@airdrie.ca