FriendsofCentennialSquare

An Open Letter in support of the retention of the Centennial Square Fountain September 2, 2023 Dear Mayor and Council, We are a group of Greater Victoria citizens who are declaring an interest in Council’s intention to undertake a renewal of Centennial Square. First and foremost, we want to express our wish and primary concern that the pivotal feature of the Square, the Centennial Fountain, be preserved and restored. We value the fountain as a gift of our three adjacent municipalities to mark the building of the Square in 1963 to celebrate the first 100 years of Victoria’s incorporation as a city. To this day the fountain remains Victoria’s primary example of modern public art, an emblematic landmark that has found a place in the hearts of citizens of the region and visitors alike. We appreciate your observations that the Square requires repair, restorations and updating. We note that the Square was feted in its day and achieved national acclaim for its design excellence. It is one of our major heritage legacies from Victoria’s rapid post-war build out, on par for in-stance with another major project of that period, the University of Victoria Gordon Head Campus. Indeed, the two projects shared the same group of architects and designers. Photo by Michal Klajban, Creative Commons license, via Wikimedia Commons Centennial Square and the fountain are a vital community gathering place (Photo: David Broadland) Centennial Square, with its iconic fountain, marked the start of Victoria’s urban renewal project for Old Town. A significant moment in our modern history! The project combined both the conservation of historic buildings and a forward-looking contemporary design for the new. In retrospect the Square can now be seen as a critical marker of the Centennial era that culminated in the 1971 Centennial of the union of British Columbia and Canada. This intent was further reinforced in 2007/8 with the addition of the Spirit Garden totem poles and Spirit Beach to recognize the First Nations cultural legacy which underpins the City. To summarze, we urge retaining the crucial focus of the Fountain as an effective way to maintain a link between the original spirit of Centennial Square, and its evolving future. We are concerned that forthcoming public consultation might be minimal. We urge you to require a wide and well-considered discussion within our current regional community. The Friends look forward to helping inform and encourage creative, practical upgrades for Centennial Square. However we remain absolutely dedicated to the retention of its superb and much-loved centre-piece, the Centennial Fountain. Sincerely, Friends of Centennial Square: John Adams, historian, author Kathleen Aitken Mark Aitken Angela Andersen Hon. David Anderson, Q.C Adrea Ashton, teacher (ret.) Steve Barber, former heritage planner, City of Victoria Jennifer Barr, former director Victoria Heritage Foundation Donna Blyth Edyth Bradley BID, Banfp Design Group Ltd Hon. Patricia Bovey, historian, author, former Canadian Senator Marilyn Bowering, author Edyth Bradley Gregory Brown, artisan, restorer period antiques Judy Brownoff, Saanich Councillor and CRD Director Kirk Buhne, B. Arch. Mrs. A. A. Byers Trevor Calkins, educator Alix Campbell Chris Causton, former Mayor of Oak Bay Bridget Clark, former executive director, Victoria Heritage Foundation Ben Clinton-Baker, curator Wentworth Villa Architectural Heritage Museum Allan Collier, design historian and exhibition curator Lisa Cowan, Lawyer (ret.) Bruce Davies, Emeritus President, Victoria Society of America David Daum Linda Daum Gerry Duckitt Helen Edwards, author Brenda Firestone, artist Douglas Franklin, architectural historian, Parksville Soressa Gardner Monique Genton, MFA Harold Gillis Martin Golder, architect (ret.) Imogen Goldie, heritage planner Rick Goodacre, former executive director, Heritage BC Chris Gower, Architect , urban design planner Wilya Graham Ronald Greene MGC (BC), historian, downtown merchant (ret.) David and Liza Harris, lifelong residents Michael F.H. Halleran, civil servant (ret.) Dave Helm Kim Hollingsworth, artist Sheila C. Hodgson, citizen Ray Hunt, architect (ret.) Ken Johnson, Hallmark Society Mary Doody Jones, seriously concerned citizen Ms. Bev Kallstrom Dr. Hal Kalman, O.C. architectural historian, heritage advocate John Keay, architect (ret.) Brian Kendrick, designer Alastair Kerr, Adj. Associate Professor, U.Vic. Jim Kerr, architect Rina Langford Douglas Lee, architect (ret.) Jim Lee, CPA (ret.) heritage building owner Valerie Lindholm, businessperson & heritage advocate Don Lovell, architect (ret.) Juiie Lovitt Dr. John Lutz, historian Richard Mackie, publisher and editor Regan R. Macleod, film producer Pamela Madoff, Past City Councillor & BC Governor, Heritage Canada Foundation Dr. Dan Marshall, historian Rick Marshall, Oak Bay Claude Maurice, architect (ret.) Martha McNeely Kathleen Milany Gene Miller, Principal, New Landmarks Design Betty Molnar Sheila Munro, author Steve Murphy, high school principal (ret.) Nancy Noble, Director/CEO Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Michael James O’Connor, KC Pat O’Neil, businessman Tom Palfrey, exhibit designer (ret.) Marilyn Palmer, architect Margaret Palmer Ray Parks, Executive Director, Provincial Capital Commission (ret.) Joan Peggs Denton Pendergast, historian, graphic designer Carl Peterson, architect (ret.) Dr. Michael Prince Karan Wallace Prince Jane Ramsay Avis Rasmussen, artist Mrs. E. L. Richards Caroline Riedel, Director, UVic Legacy Art Galleries Patrick Rollins, Citizen, Art History student Barry Rolston, Past Chair of Maritime Museum of BC. school administrator (ret.) Carole Sabiston, artist Daniel Sali Vicki Sanders, Councillor, District of Saanich Doug Scott, architect, AIBC Cara Segger, project manager Martin Segger, architectural historian Jim Stark AIBC (hon.) Old Town Study Report organizer Ian Sutherland, downtown property developer/owner Bronwyn Taylor, heritage advocate Alexander Teliszwesky, architect (ret.) Helen Tuele, concerned citizen Lisa Tyler Priscilla Tumbach Wendy Lovitt Warren Zuhree Zimmerman Prof. Bill Zuk, artist