Five finalists for memorial

By Dustin Cook

Five proposed designs for the controversial Memorial to the Victims of Communism were revealed to the public in  March.

The memorial, titled Canada, a Land of Refuge, is to be built on the west side of the Garden of the Provinces and Territories at Bay and Wellington streets.

Canadian Heritage spokesperson Natalie Huneault said now that the designs have been released, members of the public can have their say through an online survey on the department website.

The five teams and their design concepts are as follows:

Mills

One of this team’s artists, Vong Phaophanit, said that before even thinking about the concept, he looked back at his own past as a refugee and what was involved in that experience.

The proposed structure is 23 metres long and three metres wide. It forms a permeable curtain with gathering spaces on either side. It has 59 bronze stelae. all of different textures. As well, the memorial would be lit at night.

space2space

This design shows a sculpture of Vladimir Lenin, founding figure of the Soviet Union, in the midst of being toppled. The team’s landscape architect Jeff Cutler said the team came up with the idea during their initial site tour  in November.

The concept also includes a mosaic with 1,000 names etched into the surface of a stainless-steel glass panel reflecting the park, according to the team’s literature.

Cutler said they received some early negative responses to their idea at the unveiling, with one member of the public calling it “a big mistake.”

He said the team knew their concept might be controversial, but he stressed they are not trying to be disrespectful. Instead they are hoping to provoke discussion.

Reich+Petch Architects

Consisting of what the team calls two realms, this design looks at darker aspects of communism on the lower level and then the safe haven that is Canada on the upper level.

The main element of the design is a metal cube. The lower level of the cube is called the Room of Remembrance, which contains quotes that speak to the oppression of communism and the open spirit of Canada on the walls. It includes a “Freedom Bell” which will ring every 15 minutes, inviting visitors into the space to sit and contemplate the “cloud of voices” that will be heard shortly afterwards, relating personal experiences with communism.

Raff

This is intended to be a three-dimensional calendar that captures every hour of every day in a year, as outlined in the team’s overview.

“This allows for reflection on both historical events and personal experiences, from the moment a family member was unjustly imprisoned, to the day a refugee finally reached their new home in Canada,” the proposal states.

The memorial would be 21 metres long and nearly four metres high, split into east and west sections. The sculpture sits on a limestone base with steps rising to the monument from a gathering area.

Moskaliuk

Artist Larysa Kurylas said this group wanted to express two main ideas, that Canada is democracy and a land of refuge.

This is exhibited through four prism-shaped pillars, which represent the four pillars of democracy: equality, freedom, justice and representation. It also has  an oval space that is said to symbolize a human fingerprint on the land, Kurylas said. This space is surrounded by 200 bronze blades, each about two metres in height, representing the estimated 100 million deaths attributed to communist oppression.

Each blade is also etched with the surnames of five victims honoured by Canadian families.

A jury of five design professionals will make a recommendation to Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly, who will make the final decision. The winner should be decided by summer.

One of the jury members is Ludwik Klimkowski, chair of Tribute to Liberty, the private organization behind the project.

Klimkowski said the group is looking for a memorial that will provoke people and prompt them to visit it regularly.

“I’m confident that we can deliver on the majority of our expectations,” he said after seeing the five designs.

He said the memorial is intended to educate Canadians about the oppression imposed on those living under Communist rule during the 20th century, as well as to say thank you to Canada for being a safe haven.

“Canada is a land of refuge and we are mindful of ongoing need for refuge in our country today, but we want to say thank you for the opportunity that was given to us,” he said.

The designs were shortlisted by a jury following a contest in the fall of 2016.

This is the second time a design competition has been held for the monument.

In 2011, the former Conservative government created an uproar by announcing its intention to put the monument near the Supreme Court of Canada building on Wellington Street.

Many Ottawa residents and opposition MPs denounced the decision.

The original winning design also came under fire because it was deemed too large and costly, with a proposed price tag of $5.5 million.

With the election of the Trudeau government in October 2015, the site of the monument was moved to the land beside the Garden of the Provinces and a new design competition was held.

Klimkowski called the move back to the initial location a “blessing in disguise.”

“With the redevelopment of LeBreton Flats and reconfiguration of Ottawa, I think we can find ourselves in much higher foot traffic going forward than previously,” he said. “I think that’s a magnificent coincidence that elevates the story of eight million Canadians who can trace their roots back to the countries oppressed by communism.”