An independent assessment of the structural integrity of the Gwacheon totem poles in Nose Creek Park was presented to the city council on Monday. The council was also informed that, on the recommendation of ISL Engineering, the administration is coordinating efforts to remove the remaining five Gwacheon totem poles from Nose Creek Park to an indoor storage location in order to reduce public safety concerns and prevent further damage so the totem poles can be restored for future use. 

The City of Airdrie and the City of Gwacheon, South Korea, established a sister city association in 1997. With the establishment of the sister city relationship, Airdronians were given the chance to interact with the City of Gwacheon, share cultural experiences, make friends, and explore business prospects. 

Gwacheon gave six handcrafted wooden totem poles to the City of Airdrie in 2007 to mark the anniversary of the establishment of their sister city connection. Under the direct supervision of the artist, the City of Airdrie Parks Department installed the totem poles in accordance with Korean building requirements, which involved casting the poles' bases into a concrete foundation in the form of a ring. 

On June 21, 2022, one of the totems toppled to the ground despite efforts to keep it upright. 

The staff believes that wood decay was the cause of the structural failure. To reduce any potential dangers to the public's safety, the area was cordoned off. In order to verify the staff's findings and further investigate the structural integrity of the remaining five poles, an independent structural engineer study was commissioned. 

To preserve the structural integrity of the totem poles and to avoid potential conflicts with the installation of the Airdrie Festival of Light displays, the removal of the totems will be completed this month before the ground freezes.

Community Development will get in touch with the Korean community to provide an update on the totem poles as part of the City's best practices. The Public Works Building will house the totems.  

Where the totem poles will be homed next is yet to be determined. 

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