When Canada turned 100 years old in 1967, St. Paul citizens embarked with gusto on a spacey centennial project like no other.
In that year, citizens bought plots of land on the planet Mars, they gathered messages in a capsule to bury and most prominently, they built a giant landing pad, which would become St. Paul’s calling card as the next 50 years unfolded, not to mention a beaconing light to any lost and adrift aliens looking for a place to call home.
“To this day, it doesn’t matter what happens in the future, we’ll always be known as the community with the first UFO landing pad,” said Mayor Glenn Andersen, giving credit to those that came up with the idea and made it happen. “You can’t pay for that kind of recognition for your community.”
The goofy charm of the landing pad has attracted thousands of visitors over the years, from the regal to the spiritual to the comic, Queen Elizabeth II to Mother Teresa to Tom Green, and several others in-between.
Now, as Canada’s 150th anniversary approaches, along with the 50th anniversary of the landing pad, a group of citizens spearheading the 2017 celebrations are wanting to see St. Paulites, the next generation, take up the intergalactic torch.
Amil Shapka, who sits on the Champions for Change downtown revitalization committee, made note of the massive efforts of citizens in 1967 to create a grand centennial celebration and project. “We’re hoping the community will embrace this with the same enthusiasm.”
At an initial meeting to discuss the 2017 celebrations, participants threw ideas around, with the realization beaming down on them that the UFO landing pad should be the central theme of the celebrations.
“We have to start looking at and promoting what we want to do and that’s the UFO landing pad . . . that’s what we’re known for,” said Town of St. Paul Recreation Director Gary Ward.
The galaxy was the limit for ideas, as participants discussed painting aliens around town for children to locate, a 150-day countdown clock or a calendar, similar to an advent calendar with alien chocolates to unwrap, hosting a UFO conference as has been done in the past, a songwriting competition, and having someone fly in a drone.
Linda Sallstrom, the executive director for the St. Paul and District Chamber of Commerce, noted that comedian Dan Aykroyd was a UFO enthusiast, and could perhaps be prevailed upon to attend the celebration, while Shapka suggested Brett Kissel could be asked to come out to provide entertainment.
“The landing pad was so far out there in 1967,” participants agreed, but noted they wanted to bring that anything goes, open-minded attitude to coming up with ideas for the 150th year celebrations.
However, Ward noted that while the celebrations are still two years away, two years goes by quickly when planning for such big events.
“We’re going to need a lot more people on this committee to pull this off.”
Businesses, not-for-profit organizations and individuals are all invited to get on board to make the 2017 celebrations one to remember.
The group’s next meeting is scheduled for June 23 at 5 p.m. at the Community Futures boardroom downtown. Anyone is welcome to attend. For more information, people can call Sallstrom at the Chamber, at 780-645-5820.
