Tom the backroads traveller hosts this weekly meme.
July 2018 - Kitchener-Waterloo ON
Our first stop on our weekend jaunt to Stratford was to check out the new additions to the Prime Ministers' Path in Baden.
We've been here twice before and saw the first three, click here.
The Township of Wilmot is honoured to be the proud home for The Prime Ministers Path by Createscape Waterloo Region. This Path invites you to stroll through Canada's history since Confederation. Twenty-two life sized, bronze sculptures of our Prime Ministers, created by renowned Canadian artists, will flank the walking trail through parkland beside Castle Kilbride in Baden. Subtle symbols and icons cleverly hidden and embedded in each sculpture will encourage you to explore the triumphs, tragedies and tribulations of Canada's Prime Ministers and the eras in which they lived.
As a lead up to Canada's Sesquicentennial, the first statue unveiled in 2016 was The Right Honourable Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first Prime Minister. The statue, entitled 'A Canadian Conversation', was sculpted by Wilmot's own Ruth Abernethy and quickly became a popular feature on the property. Visitors young and old stop at the statue to learn more about this key figure in Canada's history, to sit on the chairs to have their own Canadian conversation or to take a selfie.
Two more have joined The Right Honourable William Lyon Mackenzie King, "A Meeting of Minds" by Logy Bay, Newfoundland artist Morgan MacDonald and Lester B. Pearson, "Big Shoes to Fill" by Ruth Abernethy, both of which were unveiled on June 29, 2017.
On June 28, 2018, the Right Honourable Kim Campbell joined the Prime Ministers Path, "Could I have a Moment?" by New Brunswick artists Darren Byers and Fred Harrision.
Kim Campbell inspires... not only as the first female prime minister of Canada, but as an example of a practioner of a leadership style often termed "interactive". Her statue titled, "Could I have a moment" on the Castle Kilbride Prime Ministers Path brings that style to mind. The arms of the life-sized bronze likeness are open as if to welcome one into a conversation. Perhaps it reinacts so many of the discussions key to Campbell passing a record amount of legislation as justice minster.
Avril Phaedra Douglas "Kim" Campbell PC CC OBC QC (born March 10, 1947) is a Canadian politician, diplomat, lawyer and writer who served as the 19th Prime Minister of Canada from June 25, 1993 to November 4, 1993. Campbell was the first and, to date, only female Prime Minister of Canada.
Campbell was also the first baby boomer to hold that office, and the only Prime Minister born in British Columbia. She is Canada's third-shortest serving Prime Minister at 132 days in office. She currently is the chairperson for Canada's Supreme Court Advisory Board.
On November 6th, 2017, we were thrilled to welcome the Right Honourable Sir Robert Borden, "The Confident Patriot" by Nathan Scott of Victoria, British Columbia. Borden was Prime Minister through WW1 and this unveiling had special recognition of the Great War on our country and was unveiled prior to Remembrance Day.
This is the Canadian prime minister who led the country during the First World War, introduced income tax in Canada and gave women the right to vote in the 1918 election.
Each are beautifully done, something that's not surprising given that Ruth Abernethy has a hand in a couple. I like her works that are found here.
ReplyDeleteThe Borden one's particularly compelling. His monument on the Hill is still inaccessible at present, with the work going on around that part of the grounds, but I'm hoping that'll change over the fall. I did feature a portrait of him the other day.
...wonderful statues, I see that Ruth Abernethy has been busy creating public art across Canada. Thanks Jackie for sharing, I hope to see you back again.
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