At the latest city council meeting on Monday, council made a motion to reinstall the Gwacheon Totem Poles back in their original spots at Nose Creek Park which was passed unanimously.

The reason why the totem poles are not there currently is that one of them fell down due to internal wood deterioration on June 21, 2022.

The totem poles were removed and stored until more research on restoration and installation possibilities was done in order to protect the structural integrity of the totem poles and guarantee the location was safe.

According to the ISL Engineering assessment from July 22, 2022, the totems could be restored with modifications in their original place with additional monitoring and polishing. This would be in accordance with the best practice of restoring artwork to its original position, where the totems were intended to be placed by the artist.

An alternative option that council considered is to install the Gwacheon Totems in an indoor location, which would extend the lifespan and reduce maintenance costs, but they decided to reinstall them at the original outdoor location.

According to councillor Al Jones, at the Community Service Advisory Board (CSAB) where they were discussing what should be done with the totems, Jones explained some members of the CSAB members expressed missing seeing them [the totems] drive down Main Street.

A biocide and water-repellent substance must be applied annually. On a 10-year cycle, thorough sanding, repainting, and staining had been carried out, costing an estimated $15,000.

Council endorsed the Community Services Advisory Board's recommendation to reinstall the Gwacheon Totem Poles in their original location in Nose Creek Park.

A date for the reinstallation has yet to be set.

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