The city of Edmundston has lost a landmark set of statues.
Six massive wooden sculptures, representing Wolastoqiyik people and settlers in northwestern New Brunswick, have stood near city hall for decades.
The remaining statues were taken down two weeks ago, after one rotted from the inside and collapsed.
Mayor Eric Marquis said after that statue fell, the others were inspected and also appeared to be in bad condition.
Since people often take photos standing next to them, the statues were removed for community safety.
“It feels empty, quite honestly, where we had those sculptures. … There is the plaque that is still there explaining the sculptures, but it really feels empty,” he told Information Morning Fredericton. “So naturally, we’re hoping that we’re going to be able to find something to replace them.”
The late sculptor Albert Deveau used a chainsaw to carve the figures, which are more than three metres tall, out of white pine. He was known for his work and had carved statues for other communities. He was also passionate about local history.
The work was done over a period of several years during the Foire Brayonne, a major Edmundston summer festival, from 1986 to 1991.
Each statue represented a different group — the Irish, the English, the Acadian, the Wolastoqiyik, the American and the French-Canadian.
“It’s really a part of [the] history of Edmundston that we had to remove,” said Marquis.
Marquis said as a young child he would head to the Foire Brayonne and witness Deveau carving, using different chainsaws to create the entire statue, including the fine details.
Deveau maintained the statues over the years, sometimes making modifications. But shortly before he died in the winter of 2022, Marquis met with him and said Deveau told him the statues were in rough shape and coming to the end of their life.
Marquis said fixing the wooden people isn’t possible, but the city will be looking at ways to possibly redo them or put something else in their place.
He said the project is still in the beginning phases.
“We’re going to have to create a committee with constituents to try to find what is the best way to recognize these families, but also, what is the best way to recognize the work of Mr. Deveau.”
With files from Information Morning Fredericton
This story was originally published in CBC News on Sep. 16, 2023.
Hannah Rudderham Portfolio 