We met at the new Seven Clans Casino at Red Lake last Thursday. Thank you to Jody and Mary for hosting the meeting, and thank you to the casino for providing such a warm, friendly place to meet.
The discussion was very productive this time. We discussed our desire to include more community members in the engagement and planning stages of this project. We highlighted the many ways in which we could invite and inform the larger community, including the city of Bemidji and the three local reservations. We shared a desire to collect more stories and images from the life of Shaynowishkung, the founding of the City, and the creation of the many statues and monuments to his name, including the monument in Bemidji's greenwood cemetery. We made plans to host public information meetings in four different locations this spring, to share what we have learned and to foster respectful debate. Finally, we discussed the importance of staying informed and involved in the planning and design of Bemidji's newest park spaces, in light of the Waterfront and South Shore development that is taking place, so that a future Chief Bemidji Statue, and more public art of all kinds, is given space and provided for. Our hope is that future generations will benefit from the work we are all doing now.
Below is a brief version of our meetings minutes:
2. Community Engagement
Questions to ask when we engage the public:
a. What is the value in creating a new statue to honor Chief Bemidji?
b. What are your impressions of the current statue?
c. Where should a new statue be located?
d. Do you have stories, photos, history to share related to Chief Bemidji and this time period?
3. Committee discussed the desire to host 4 public information meetings: Red Lake, Leech Lake, Bemidji, and White Earth. The meetings will be to a) give information on the project’s mission and goals, and possible locations, and b) get feedback from the communities on the new statue, existing statue, location, and stories/history. Meetings will be planned for early May, week night at 7-8:30 pm.
4. Committee reviewed maps of South Shore Development, Library Park, and Paul Bunyan Park. We would like to focus the next meeting solely on the topic of location, and take tours of these three park areas near the south shore of Lake Bemidji.
NOTES FROM APRIL 8, 2010 MEETING:
ReplyDeleteThe committee met at the Visitor Information Center by Paul & Babe, to discuss site location for a new statue. Joining the committee at this meeting were great-great grandchildren descendants of Shaynowishkung: Bev Raish, Jody Bellanger, Donnie Headbird, Gordon Headbird, Jess Headbird, and Ken Thompson. We reviewed site maps of the South Shore development, Library Park, and Paul Bunyan Park. Bev reported that the family would like to see a new statue located in the vicinity of where the old statue currently is. Though the current statue sits very close to the road and is subject to winter road-salt spray by plows, a new statue could be placed on the lake-side of the path, overlooking Lake Bemidji on an "over look" jutting out over the hillside. The statue would be visible from the road and accessible by the path, and be less impacted from snow plows. This site will be futher considered as the project continues.
Present at the April 8th meeting at Bemidji's Visitor Information Center: Carolyn Jacobs, Albert Belleveau, Mitch Blessing, Mary Auger, Marcia Larson, Paul Richards, Audrey Thayer, Jody Bellanger, Bev Raish, Nikki and Donnie Headbird, Gordon Headbird, Jess Headbird, Ken Thompson. Thank You.
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