ST. PAUL – Many residents are already familiar with the Lions Park located on main street in the Town of St. Paul. It is often used for community events and activities, but its name had yet to be made official, that is until June 24.
Development of the park, spearheaded by the community organization Champions for Change, began in 2018, according to Penny Fox, president of Champions for Change. “We worked on it through 2019,” then the pandemic hit.
Champions for Change waited until pandemic lockdowns were over to hold the grand opening of the park, while also continuing to improve the park. “People know it as Lions Park, but we never actually cut the ribbon and had a naming ceremony until today,” said Fox, on June 24.
She thanked all those involved, including Bob Porozni and his family, who own the land where the park is located, in addition to the space behind the park. The Porozni family entered into a formal agreement with the Town of St. Paul, allowing Champions for Change to develop the area.
The Pratch family was also recognized during the event for helping fund the stage at the park that was built by Northern Lights Welding and saw completion in 2020.
“The reason for this stage is so that we can support our musicians, dancers, or anyone that is doing anything artistic,” said Fox. “It’s amazing for a small town, on just how many people there are that can do those things... so, let’s celebrate that. Let’s find out who they are, and let’s give them an opportunity to showcase their skills right here in their hometown.”
Art installations unveiled
On the topic of art, Champions for Change also unveiled new art pieces they had commissioned that have recently been installed along main street.
Following the ribbon cutting ceremony at Lions Park, short ceremonies also took place down the block.
First was Hans Rohner’s sculpture – The Riddle. The wooden sculpture is in the shape of many hands created on a diamond willow. It is also protected by a metal sculpture that looks like the palm of a hand.
Rohner said the sculpture engages the five human senses. “I wanted to do something different... like it’s a sculpture... but it can be more than just a sculpture.”
That’s where “The Riddle” comes in, said Rohner. When people look at it, it makes them think.
“You have to try and understand and comprehend it,” he says. “As you go around the sculpture... there is an eye, a nose, a mouth, an ear,” blended into the hands, which would then be up to whoever may be looking at the art piece to find their own answers as to its meaning.
The other art piece was created by local stained glass and mosaic artist Eric Spoeth.
As an artist, Spoeth’s focus is architectural mosaic, “So public art, public murals, large scale installations and things like that,” he explained. Spoeth has been an artist-in-residence with the St. Paul District Arts Foundation since 2019.
Spoeth’s newest art piece is a stained-glass art creation called “Be The Light,” which uses cedar as the main structural piece. The cedar wood has a total of 22 pieces of stained-glass, and each piece represents “the nuclear family,” said Spoeth.
“It's a reflection of the foundation of society which is the family,” meant to symbolize the idea of “how we inherit gifts from our families, from our parents, from our family,” said Spoeth. “And we’re not meant to hang on to it. We’re meant to reflect it outwards, to people around us... So, that’s the symbolism behind the piece.”
“Be the Light” is located west of the JMD Group LLP’s building, across from the Elite Theatre by the main street. The Riddle is located next to the Xtreme Oilfield Technology office building.
