I posted a photo on my social media accounts last weekend asking if people knew where the picture was taken. I was a little surprised at how few guesses there were but then again, it was a tricky one to guess. After all, what do we have in Saskatoon that’s so colorful?
In Victoria Park there sits a colorful gift from the Chinese community to the city in honor of the first Chinese people who settle in the community. According to a CBC article posted just before the unveiling in 2015 “In the Chinese culture a zhongshan ting is a communal place of worship and fellowship. In English, it’s known as a pagoda.”
I’m embarrassed to admit that after 5 years, I only managed to visit it first the first time this October. I’m kicking myself for not going earlier because it is an absolute beauty! So rich in color and culture. My only real complaint is that it’s not bigger!
(If you haven’t figured it out yet, the first “mystery” photo was actually take of the the inside ceiling of the ting!)
Another structure in Victoria Park, that I only now finally managed to visit, is ‘The Coming Spring’ by artist Gordon Reeve. A City Of Saskatoon webpage has this description:
“The 27-foot tall arch and two spires are constructed entirely of stainless steel that reflects the sun and moon. The longer 47-foot spire, pointing north, symbolically represents the First Nations’ long history. The 39-foot spire, pointing south, symbolically represents the history of the Métis Nation. Suspended high on each spire are moving chimes. The rustling and bell-like sounds the chimes make suggest the voices of children heard at a distance, representing the children taken by the residential system from all of the communities in Treaty Six Territory. “
https://www.saskatoon.ca/community-culture-heritage/arts-creativity/community-art
Reading this now after having visited the structure is hard to bear as I heard no bells that morning; no voices of the young children who had to endure such hate and hardship. Perhaps I just need to listen better.
Art has always provoked people. It’s a communication that demands a reaction. With both a Chinese structure and a First Nation work of art, I sincerely hope that Victoria Park becomes a place of contemplation and celebration of all of us and what we can (and should) achieve when we work together.