The monoliths and fountain in Victoria’s Centennial Square are a touchy subject depending on who you talk to.
So much so that a protest is being planned in opposition to the City of Victoria’s Centennial Square revitalization project.
The fountain and three towering monoliths that are the focal point of the square were a gift to the City of Victoria from Saanich, Oak Bay and Esquimalt in 1962 to mark the city’s 100th anniversary.
Now that there are plans to update the square and monument dedicated to the city’s past, there is a march on Centennial Square planned in protest of the proposed changes.
The group protesting the changes call themselves the Friends of Centennial Square and have even launched a petition to voice their concerns.
As of this publication, this petition has 1,408 of their 1,500 signature goal after just over one month of going live.
However, plans have been in the works for years now to update Centennial Square to make the public space more useful for a more diverse range of events.
The City of Victoria says that in 2018, they launched a robust community engagement campaign to gauge what people were looking for from an updated square.
During this campaign, the City found that there was a lot of support for the notion to take the fountain out and replace it with something more usable by Victoria residents.
The current idea that the City is strongly considering is a splash pad water feature.
“The proposed water feature will have the ability to be turned off for large events and festivals, significantly enhancing the square’s flexibility to host a more diverse range of activities and events,” said a City of Victoria spokesperson.
However, in the proposal that is currently on the table, there are no concrete plans to get rid of the monoliths.
“We want to clarify for the community that the decisions regarding the monoliths and the fountain are being considered as two separate elements,” the City spokesperson continued.
“It’s important that the public understands this distinction as we progress.”
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Victoria says that the future of the monoliths lies in the City’s Art in Public Places policies.
City staff recognize some people’s attachment to the monoliths given their meaning, but need to ensure that they align with the policies that take into account the history of the region, thoughtfully and respectfully.
The contract for the Centennial Square revitalization project has recently been awarded to Dialog.
They are a Vancouver-based design firm responsible for many iconic buildings throughout Western Canada, including the Calgary Central Library, the Royal Alberta Museum, the UBC Student Union Building and more.
City staff anticipate that by late spring 2024, Dialog will have new design concepts that they will bring before city council.
From there, Victoria’s council will provide feedback and decide on the project’s next steps.
As for the protest being held by Friends of Centennial Square, the organizers are planning the event to take place at Centennial Square at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 8th.
