WHITE ROCK, B.C.—Oct. 2, 2019 — On Oct. 2, the City of White Rock celebrated its newest piece of public art called “Stande” to honour the contribution of the Peace Arch Hospital Auxiliary to the Peace Arch Hospital over 70 years.
The dedication ceremony included representatives from the City of White Rock, Peace Arch Hospital Foundation, the Auxiliary and artist Ilarion Gallant of Vancouver Island, who was selected to create the sculpture.
The Auxiliary first formed in 1948 to raise funds for construction of the hospital and has raised $15 million over 70 years. In 2017, the Public Art Advisory Committee identified that a recognition art piece honouring the contribution of the women of the Peace Arch Hospital Auxiliary be created.
In the artist’s words, Stande “metaphorically draws on the form of the pre-contact rainforest that once stood on the hospital site. This imagery highlights the strength, shelter, support and nurturing that these dedicated women believed was necessary for the future growth and success of their community, White Rock.”
About Stande
Stande is a testament to the selflessness of the White Rock Woman’s Auxiliary and its continued contributions to this community. The Auxiliary’s post-war visionary force met with its civic virtue to raise foundation money to establish a community hospital. The Peace Arch Hospital was realized in 1954.
About the McCracken Courtyard
The newly renovated McCracken Courtyard at the Peace Arch Hospital is a warm and welcoming spot for patients and their friends and family to sit and have a quiet moment outside and is the ideal setting for Stande. The public is invited to stop by McCracken Courtyard and enjoy the artwork.
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Mayor Darryl Walker
“On behalf of White Rock City Council, I would like to thank the members of the Peace Arch Hospital Auxiliary for their commitment to our community. Public art is incredibly important to our city, and it’s a pleasure to see a piece that commemorates this incredible group and recognizes its history.”
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Media Contact:
Kaelin Nelson
Digital Media and Communications Assistant
City of White Rock
knelson@whiterockcity.ca
604-541-2211 (office)