By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
After more than a year of work and deliberation, a proposal to place a yellow cedar bench in honor of Elizabeth Peratrovich in front of Harrigan Centennial Hall got the go-ahead from the Assembly at Tuesday’s night’s meeting.
Sitkans last Wednesday celebrated Peratrovich’s legacy as a Tlingit civil rights advocate who worked to secure the Feb. 16, 1945, passage of the Anti-Discrimination Act by the Territorial Legislature.
Assembly member Kevin Mosher said he supports placing the bench in the courtyard in front of Centennial Hall, as proposed by the Birds and Benches group that commissioned the handmade piece of functional art. City Administrator John Leach had said the Assembly would provide direction on the location, but noted that foot traffic near Centennial Hall in the busy summer season should be considered.
“It was my intention that it be placed in the center, in the courtyard,” Mosher said. “It’s a beautiful bench and it’s meant to honor someone who is worthy of honor. I don’t think it’s undoable to have it in the center – we can make it work.”
Other Assembly members also voiced support of that location.
“The bold statement of the recognition of the iconic nature of the person and the legacy that she brought to Alaska and to the civil rights movement here,” said Kevin Knox. “I agree with Kevin (Mosher), being in the central courtyard is a piece of the bold statement, recognizing how big of a contribution this person made to change in Alaska and in this country.”
Crystal Duncan praised Peratrovich for her contributions to civil rights.
“The next time that we come together is going to be March 8, which is International Women’s Day… I’m hearing a lot of discussion about Kaaxgal.aat – who is Elizabeth Peratrovich – and how this was a wonderful figure who did so much for the community of Alaska. Our state made progress based off her drive to move us in that direction,” Duncan said.
Responding to a question by Duncan, Leach said other plans for the courtyard are placement of way-finding signs and removal of the base of the Baranof statue that was moved to the Sitka History Museum in 2020.
Leach told the Assembly about what city staff has done on the bench proposal.
“Over those past few months, staff have reviewed the plan, provided some input – specifically folks at Harrigan Hall and Planning and Parks and Rec and Public Works – and had some concerns, especially given our tourism plan and the number of passengers we have coming this year. It really boiled down to space and passenger flow through the courtyard area… We also had concerns about people maybe stopping to look at it, taking pictures, because they are beautiful benches, and really we’re just trying to keep people flowing through that area. I don’t think we’re able to reach an agreement on that final location, so just more or less looking for some (Assembly) direction,” Leach said.
Thor Christianson said he saw no problem with the bench in the proposed location.
“Sometimes we can get too caught up in efficiencies, we want to, of course, but I don’t think that’s what this is really about,” Christianson said. “It’s about making a statement in support and honestly people are kind of like water molecules, they flow. They’ll go around the rock or the bench. I would say, to put it roughly – again I’m a little bit sorry it made it back to the Assembly at all – but I don’t see a problem... putting it in the courtyard.”
The Birds and Benches group is proposing placing the 8-foot bench in an alcove within the courtyard with an eastward view of the Sisters mountains.
The Assembly also discussed maintenance funding for the bench, as well as the idea of placing an electronic code on the bench to provide passersby with information.
Assembly member Rebecca Himschoot hoped that the bench would be in place by the summer tourist season, but did not think the Assembly should be making the decision on precise placement.
“I recognize that this process has had plenty of frustration, (this) has taken a long time. I see this as a function of everyone wanting to get it done right... I don’t think that the length of time that it’s taking is any kind of an indication of disagreement of how much we want to honor the legacy of Elizabeth Peratrovich, and I don’t want us to conflate the two issues... I do think the bench should be in a prominent location. I don’t feel it’s really appropriate for the Assembly to get involved in this decision,” Himschoot said.
Leach was sorry if it appeared the city had delayed the project.
“I apologize if it comes across to the group that we were dragging our feet or not working quickly enough to address the issue,” he said.
Zach LaPerriere, the wood artist building the bench, said all that remains is installation of a plaque, and the bench could be ready for installation next month.
Co-chair of the Birds and Benches group, Loyd Platson, said the Peratrovich bench is part of a larger project to install benches around town.
“One of the goals obviously is not only to honor people, but to look at the plants and animals of our community that are significant to the people and the environment here...… We’ve been talking about that in trying to create a walking tour throughout Sitka,” Platson said.
He added that the current Birds and Benches plan is for two benches on the west side of the Centennial Hall courtyard to provide balance between the Tlingit Raven moiety – which includes Peratrovich – and the Wolf-Eagle moiety.
Several people in the audience spoke in favor of promptly installing the bench in the courtyard.
After hearing Assembly discussion on the matter, Leach said he would move forward on placing the bench in the courtyard.
“I’m starting to hear a consensus on it, and that was really the last issue outlined in the MOA, so I would say it will be a matter of days to get it back and forth and get the signatures on it and get it ready to move... We’ll place it in the courtyard as (in) the original proposal and the (memorandum of understanding) as originally proposed from the group in our first meeting,” he said.
