A rejuvenated Kobzar Park was officially re-dedicated Saturday with the unveiling of a new statue to Taras Shevchenko, new flower beds, new grass and a polished entrance way containing a new stain-glass, “Ukrainian dancing minstrel” to replace the original metal figure which went missing.
The figure will be permanently mounted at the peak of the arched gateway once it is framed by Thurston Stained Glass who donated it to the rededication of the park.
“When efforts to find the original dancing musician led nowhere, we decided to call Thurston’s Stain Glass to see how much it would cost to produce a new figure,” said Susan Tesluk, the treasurer for the Kobzar Park Rejuvenation Committee. “ We were thrilled when Tanya Thurston the owner decided to donate her work.”
Members of Timmins' Ukrainian community, some dressed in traditional costumes, come out to celebrate the occasion.
Gary Scripnick, former City Councillor whose grandparents came to Canada from the Ukraine in 1916, served as master of ceremonies and welcomed dignitaries and supporters. Some in the crowd came from as far away as Mississauga, Kirkland Lake and New Liskeard.
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mayor Steven Black congratulated the volunteers who took it upon themselves to rejuvenate Kobzar Park.
“It’s great to see a group of dedicated volunteers work together and rejuvenate an important part of our city,” said Black.
A letter of congratulations from Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Gilles Bisson, MPP for Timmins James Bay was presented to the Kobzar Park Rejuvenation Committee.
David Yaschyshyn, chair of the Kobzar Park Rejuvenation Committee, was overcome with emotion as he addressed the gathering.
“It’s obviously a heart-warming moment seeing everyone here,” Yaschyshyn said.
Yaschyshyn spoke of the creation of the Rejuvenation Committee and the challenges they faced.
“Some of the headlines about this park were not very good, it was a problem park,” Yaschyshyn recalled. “But some of the councillors said no — let us not sell this park.”
The drive to restore Kobzar Park by the Rejuvenation Committee was assisted by the recommendations in Timmins’ 20/20 Master Plan which identified “strengthening our community’s social and cultural fabric” as a priority. It later became the primary basis for Timmins’ Culture Master Plan.
Last year the park was also made part of the Downtown Timmins Business Improvement Association which under the direction of its executive director, Noella Rinaldo strongly supported the drive to renew Kobzar Park.
Councillor Rinaldo and then-councillor Gary Scripnick secured a majority vote of council to save the park. The formation of the Kobzar Park Rejuvenation Committee in December, 2013 helped to focus the goals for the rejuvenation and rededication of the park and oversee fundraising efforts.
Funding was providing numerous Timmins area businesses and individuals. Groups from as far as Winnipeg and Toronto also provided funds.
“It’s a jewel in the heart in the city and I hope this can show the city what we can do with other parks in the city,” Rinaldo said. “This is a great testimony to the Ukrainian culture and community for the hard work to bring this park back.”
The original Kobzar Park was dedicated in 1984 and featured a marble statue of Taras Shevchenko, the Ukraine’s national poet and is named after his book of poems titled “Kobzar”. A kobzar refers to a minstrel who sang and played a multistring Ukrainian instrument called a bandura or kobzar.
Replacing the missing minstrel was an important goal and that was accomplished with when Thurston Stained Glass created the new figure.
As important was the replacement of the marble statue of Taras Shevchenko. Tyler Fauvelle, from Lively, Ontario accepted the task of sculpting a bronze statue of Shevchenko which stands within the central monument in Kobzar Park.
Fauvelle also sculpted the statues of the three miners that stand in front of the Timmins Museum.
A special guest was Reverend Monsignor Lev Chayka, the pastor of the Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church in Val D’or, Quebec who later blessed the park.
(PHOTO L-R: Unveiling of statue of Taras Shevchenko, sculptor Tyler Fauvelle, David Yaschyshyn, Chair, Kobzar Park Rejuvenation Committee. Frank Giorno/TimminsToday)
