The 2020 Grad Legacy Project Committee has provided an update on the project that will pay tribute to the Estevan Comprehensive School graduating class of 2020.
The committee is pleased to announce that local artist Gale Tytlandsvik will be designing, building and overseeing the installation of a unique and meaningful sculpture in Torgeson Park, across from ECS. Work on the sculpture will now begin with installation slated for the fall or earlier, if weather and contractor availability permits.
The sculpture will recognize all 2020 graduates by name and will be a lasting acknowledgement in the community. The Class of 2020 had their final year cut short and was unable to celebrate their achievements in a graduation ceremony due to restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Voluntary cash donations from 2020 grad parents as well as other individuals and members of the business community in Estevan and area are funding this project.
The committee has also gratefully accepted donations of labour and materials to the project from several local businesses. If 2020 grad parents were unable to donate last spring and would like to still do so, please email an e-transfer to 2020ecsgrad@gmail.com.
Any questions regarding the project may also be directed to the same email.
Estevan city council gave the project their blessing at the May 31 meeting.
Tytlandsvik previously co-ordinated the creation of the Band Plays On (2012) metal sculpture that depicts five band students playing their musical instruments and serves as a lasting tribute to the late Colin Grunert, who was the long-time band instructor at ECS.
It was decided to stick with blue and silver – colours of 2020 graduates. And the statute Tytlandsvik is to create will be an abstract wave.
"That's what they felt like the year had been, a wave, like a wave of emotions," the artist noted. "It'll be pipes put together, lined up side by side, blue and silver, shades of blue. And then there will be a piece of metal along the top that is like a wave."
The project will be installed at Torgeson Park for anyone in the city to enjoy and remember the grads of 2020.
However, with several projects on the go and with other specialists needed for the art project currently tied up, Tytlandsvik said she probably won't be able to get to working on the monument until fall.
"It has to happen really quick because you have to sandblast and then you have to weld and then you have to sandblast your weld. And then as soon as you're done sandblasting you have to do the epoxy primer before it starts to rust. And once you do the epoxy primer, you have to paint within a week. So it's not like we can just do a little bit here and there. Once it gets started it's pretty much you got to go full done," explained Tytlandsvik.
