‘Blows my mind’: Totem pole found in Thorold spared from wood chipper

The only thing better than one totem pole is two totem poles.

It is also, for Kwakwak'wakw artist Bruce Alfred, somewhat miraculous.

Walking into the decommissioned Rex Stimers arena in St. Catharines, where Alfred and two other Indigenous artists have been working to restore the totem pole normally standing in Richard Pierpoint Park (formerly Centennial Park), the contrast between the poles is stark.

Not only because the restored St. Catharines totem pole is only days from completion, and freshly painted in colours of white, brown and black. But because its history is well-documented - the city commissioned the late Kwakwaka'wakw artist Doug Cranmer to carve the pole in 1966 to commemorate Canada's 100th anniversary of Confederation.

The second pole arrived only days ago, and its story has yet to be learned.

St. Catharines resident Fred Bowering said he got a phone call over the weekend from a cousin who works at a Thorold South transfer station, explaining one of the workers found the pole as he was sorting through a rubble pile.

After seeing a photo, Bowering showed the pole to Alfred, an expert conservator from British Columbia, who immediately recognized the pole as a West Coast piece. The next day, Alfred saw it in person and knew it was a British Columbia redwood, so Bowering, after receiving permission to take the pole, was able to get assistance transporting it to the St. Catharines arena safely.

It was a show of kindness from the local workers, and an awareness of its history, that stopped the pole from ending up in an industrial wood chipper.

Alfred quickly learned the totem pole was carved by the late John Livingston, an adopted Kwakwaka'wakw carver from Vancouver, who Alfred called a world renowned carver."

It kind of blows my mind where they found it and the condition it's in," said Alfred. It's here and that's the important thing. It didn't make it to the chipper."

Phil Davis, who was part of the group that helped transport the pole, said he is hoping to find out who commissioned it and learn its origin story.

Encouraging people to share it. Sounds like its been around for a while, so where it was, obviously, we have so many newer people in our community probably didn't realize the value and the history involved with it when they purchased the house," said Davis.

But it will be up to Bowering as to what happens next, and if he makes the decision to donate it to a local community group, said Davis.

Bowering said he would like to see it restored and brought back to life, in a similar fashion to the pole Alfred is working on. But he wants to make sure it is taken care, and protected, before donating it to the local community or sending it back to British Columbia.

I need to talk to (John's) wife respectfully and I know everybody's got their plans already but they need to sit with me and agree with me on legal binding paper that it is never sold," said Bowering.

Once that decision is made, conversation about a potential restoration process can start. Alfred said he would bring a small contingent to St. Catharines, following the protocols used on the West Coast.

Bring his wife and she will be the focal point and we'll do what we do when we do pole raising. Chiefs will get up and edify the carving and the purpose, and all that, and the ladies will dance. We'll do it properly," said Alfred.

And because of its condition when it was found, the pole will only require minor fixes.

It needs a little bit of work, but it's relatively minor. I can ship over the wings for it and bring some extra wood to fix it. It's pretty minor," he said.