Motorists and pedestrians making their way down Thompson Drive North this summer have probably noticed the construction work going on to ready the ground across from Tim Hortons for a firefighters tribute statue.
The statue, a result of a collaboration of the Thompson Fire Association, Thompson Fire and Emergency Services, the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 220, Vale Inco Mine Rescue, Vale Inco Fire Fighters, Manitoba Conservation's fire program and five departments in Northern communities, is being made by Clay Lennox of North Pole Studios in Winnipeg.
The two-sided bronze-covered statue, which will stand at eight to 10 feet tall on a base of solid rock, showcases seven people as well as a water bomber and a helicopter with a water bucket.
Dave Jensen, president of the Thompson Fire Fighters Association, told the Thompson Citizen in May that $80,000 was needed to buy the statue and bring it to Thompson, and would cost another $10,000 to $15,000 more to ready the land and install lighting, flags and park benches.
Different fundraising activities have taken place in Thompson to raise money for the statue, including an ice fishing derby at Paint Lake, badge sales, a 50/50 draw and more. The City of Thompson has also helped out by contributing equipment and personnel to the development of the park space and the road lay-by, which was created in an effort to maintain public safety and provide better access to the park and statue.
Valdine Flaming, communications officer with the City of Thompson, says that city personnel costs incurred about $4,000 for the work they did on the lay-by for two weeks, with additional costs above and beyond just the labour.
"City equipment was used for the project with the exception of a backhoe, which had been provided to the City at no rental cost. Four hundred cubic yards of road base material was utilized, and cut sidewalks were replaced with asphalt entries to the lay-by," Flaming explains.
Volker Beckmann, volunteer project co-ordinator with Spirit Way, says a delegation had explained the project to city council after their budget had already been put in place, but is thankful that the city still decided to create the lay-by this year.
"That's sort of what we anticipated as soft dollar requests. And then next year the curbing and the asphalt would be put in," he explains. "We felt that the drive through was absolutely crucial so people could get out of their vehicles in safety and not have to worry about parking in Tim Hortons parking lot and running across the street."
Beckmann mentions that Wayne Koversky, director of public works with the City of Thompson, was very helpful throughout the whole process of constructing the lay-by.
The statue's dedication ceremony is set to take place on Sept. 11 at 1:15 at the statue site, with a number of government officials and representatives from fire departments throughout the North who contributed to the funding of the statue making appearances.
