City Breaks Ground on Sandburg Statue Installation

Sandburg GroundbreakingThe City of Galesburg held a groundbreaking ceremony this morning for the Carl Sandburg Statue that is expected to be installed in the city’s central park.

President of the Galesburg Public Art Commission Chuck Bednar says work could take the rest of the year however.

Bednar says funds still need to be raised for the installation, which will require GPAC to raise around 50 to $75,000 more in order to pay for the total cost of $250,000.

The project is being entirely funded by private donors–money which will now be used to finance the “bricks and mortar”.Bednar tells WGIL that he expects funding to come in stages.

“We’ll have portions of it–the foundation needs to be finished, and then the literary walk will be completed, and then the basic walk itself,” says Bednar. “Because of that reason, it’s taking us a little more time. This will keep going until we have it finished.”

Bednar says the statue will be near the center of the square, and that the current fountain will reportedly be taken out.
Four flags are also expected to be installed.

“We’ll have bricks that will be inscribed with the donor names on them. You will walk around it and then read the inscriptions of Sandburg. There will be 16 panels that will be quite large–you can walk around the base and read his writing.”

Mayor John Pritchard and other area representatives were present today. Bednar says citizens can give to the project by donating at the Bondi Building.

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