The Lonsdale Statue - A Tribute to the Founder

With plans for Shawnigan’s Centennial in 2016 continuing, one fitting tribute has already begun taking shape, crafted by the clever hands of an internationally acclaimed sculptor.

A year ago, a number of “senior” Shawnigan alumni formed an ad hoc committee to ensure that the School’s Founder, C. W. Lonsdale, is appropriately honoured during Shawnigan’s 100th anniversary. It didn’t take long for the group to convince the School that a statue of the Founder was a necessary and natural memorial to the man whose vision is responsible for Shawnigan’s near century of success.

The alumni approached award-winning artist Mardie Rees and commissioned her to produce a scale model statue of Lonsdale as an initial step in pushing this worthy project forward.

As part of the artistic process, Mardie visited the School in May to “absorb the spirit” of the Founder and see first-hand what his determination, persistence and iron will had achieved some 95 years after his life’s work began. Armed with an incredibly favourable impression of what the Founder had wrought with his skilled hands, she set about with her own to create and capture the essence of Lonsdale. She pored over pictures, spent hours in the archives and immersed herself in his life and times. Then came sketches, poses, stances, styles and her vision of Lonsdale’s energy and vitality - all molded and shaped in 40 pounds of gray clay.

This past Founder’s Day, Mardie unveiled her months of work—a perfect 1/3 scale model statue of Lonsdale. It was presented first at the Gold Club induction ceremony and then again at the dinner for viewing by all of this year’s reunion classes. The response by those in attendance was overwhelmingly positive.

And that’s where you, dear reader, come in. The move from scale model to larger-than-life size full bronze-cast statue is not an inexpensive one. The proponents have already contributed to the initial work and have pledged more, but they will need your help to raise the two hundred thousand dollars needed to complete the project in time for 2016.

If you want to honour the Founder and the great school he set in motion by becoming a member of the Founder’s Statue Club, please contact Steve Housser ‘67, Executive Director of the Shawnigan Lake School Foundation at 250-743-6290 or shousser@shawnigan.ca