Queen Victoria statue consultation wraps up first stage with City of Kitchener
CTV
The City of Kitchener says they have wrapped up the first phase of consultation regarding a controversial statue in a public park.
The City of Kitchener says they have wrapped up the first phase of consultation regarding a controversial statue in a public park.
The repeated vandalism of the Queen's Statue in Victoria Park prompted the city to launch a community engagement campaign in the fall to consider the statue's future.
The plan outlined four events being mediated by placemaker and author Jay Pitter. One event was done through Instagram live and was followed by an in-person witnessing circle in November.
Two further sessions were planned for early 2023.
The city is now temporarily pausing engagement, plans to gather feedback from participants on the process so far, and says that Pitter's portion of the process has been completed.
The city adds that Pitter introduced the witnessing circle to get different perspectives from the community and also outlined a safer small table engagement approach to get more feedback.
Phase two of the consultation plan will move more slowly, as advised by Pitter, and be led by local community engagement facilitators.
