The Saanichton Village Association has announced the addition of the final of the five 'Welcoming Totems' that greet residents and visitors on the roadways leading to the Saanichton Village. The totems are carved by well-known local First Nations artist Doug LaFortune.
The first totem in the series was erected in 2012, ‘The Heron’ located on East Saanich Rd., north of the Wallace Drive. The second Totem ‘The Eagle’ was unveiled in the spring of 2013 and can be found on the south end of the Village on East Saanich Rd. The third Totem ‘The Orca’ was raised in the summer of 2014 and welcomes visitors and local residents to the Village on Mt. Newton X Rd. east of the Saanich Peninsula hospital. The fourth Totem ‘The Raven’ was unveiled the summer of 2016 in Centennial Park by the tennis courts.
The final totem ‘The Protector’ is being unveiled Sunday, November, 5 at 1:30 p.m. at the Central Saanich Municipal Hall, by the parking lot of the original Fire Hall.
“The Saanichton Village is more than just the core retail areas, and our idea was to create a sense of inclusion by placing these majestic westcoast symbols in a way that embraced more of the local area,” noted Saanichton Village Association's Jim Townley.
Each totem in the series showcases a different symbol. “They all have their role in the First Nations culture, with each representing an important core value for our people”, notes carver Douglas LaFortune. “These iconic symbols each has a story that lends itself to shaping our WestCoast communities.”
The totem project has received some significant donations from the Municipality of Central Saanich, local residents and businesses with just over $20,000 being raised towards the total project goal of $24,000.
“The project is almost complete thanks to Katherine Nutt, Ron Spelt and SeaFirst Insurance, Peggy Yelland and the Municipality of Central Saanich. ‘We hope to have others from the local community come forward with donations to help us complete our next exciting project’, notes SVA Treasurer Martina Redman.
SVA Contact: Jim Townley President – 250-888-2525