Thou shalt, or shalt not honour religious monuments donated to city?

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This article was published 10/06/2022 (1185 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An Assiniboine Park Conservancy decision to remove a monument featuring the Ten Commandments from land where the new Leaf Diversity Gardens is located is raising questions about inclusivity and religious liberty in public spaces.

The monument was donated to the City of Winnipeg in 1965 by the Fraternal Order of Eagles, an international organization that provides events and social activities for its members and supports local non-profit organizations.

It was placed in storage in 2017 before construction began on the $130 million indoor horticultural attraction that is expected to open before the end of the year.

When the edifice was placed in storage, there were “were questions about whether the park is still the best location for this type of religious monument,” Conservancy spokeswoman Laura Cabak told the Free Press in an email.

“While the monument is part of Winnipeg’s history, our goal is to nurture a sense of community within our park that makes all feel welcome, accepted and comfortable to be themselves,” she wrote.

“We have considered this matter very carefully, in light of recent debate about historical monuments, and believe that reinstalling the monument may make the park feel less welcoming for some members of our community.”

Founded in 2008, the Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization responsible for the operation of the park, as wells as establishing a future vision for the park and zoo. It has a 50-year lease with the city, which owns the property and assets.

Since the monument was originally donated to the city, the Conservancy has requested that its future placement be considered by the Welcoming Winnipeg initiative, which seeks to ensure the “contributions, experiences and perspectives of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit are reflected truthfully in our stories, historical markers, and place names.”

“We will respect the outcome of that process, whatever it may be,” Cabak said.

A retired Winnipeg teacher, however, believes the organization has overstepped its bounds and wants the monument taken out of storage and placed “in a respectable, honorable location” in the park.

Ed Hume, who said he is a Christian, sent a letter to Mayor Brian Bowman and members of city council arguing that the historical monument, rooted in the Christian and Jewish faiths and respected by Muslims, has been taken “out of a public space when there is no law against keeping it there.”

“It belongs to the city and the citizens of Winnipeg,” said Hume, adding “the decision whether or not to remove it from the park belongs to the elected city councillors and the mayor, not the Conservancy.”

The Conservancy could be worried about offending some people, Hume told the Free Press.

“There’s a battle out there over what is an acceptable monument,” he said, adding that it could also be a case of impeding religious liberty.

“Someone needs to hold the Conservancy accountable.”

In December 2019, the Conservancy offered to relocate the monument at its own expense if the Fraternal Order of Eagles had a new location for it. Initially, the group responded favourably and tentative arrangements were made for a transfer, Cabak said, adding the city was informed.

However, the plan was put on hold because of the pandemic, and when the Conservancy reached out to the Order again last winter, it was told the group, which has about 400 members in four Manitoba branches, was no longer interested in relocation.

Manitoba chapter president Darryl Lee said he was disappointed in how the Conservancy dealt with the matter.

“It wasn’t a request, and we had no input,” he said. “It was more like ‘come pick up your monument.’”

As far as he is concerned, the monument was gifted to the city 57 years ago “by people who are no longer with us” and the matter is now between the Conservancy and the city.

“We prefer it remain in the park, or go to another park, and we are supportive of Ed Hume’s efforts,” he said. “But we are not interested in pursuing it any further.”

Conservancy officials also met with Hume “to give him the opportunity to share his perspective and concerns,” Cabak said.

Hume said he’s concerned about whether the public will be informed when Welcoming Winnipeg will be considering the monument’s future, and if members of the public will be allowed to make presentations.

“I plan to take it to other groups, not just religious people, to see it dealt with in the open,” he said.

City council deputy speaker and Mynarski councillor Ross Eadie said Hume and others will have “a chance to make public submissions when the monument issue goes through the process.”

There is another monument to the Ten Commandments on public land in the city, located in Kildonan Park. It was erected by the Knights of Columbus in 1968.

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