National Homeland Security Knowledgebase Affordable Dental Care from DentalPlans.com

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Honoring Bedford's own Elmer Flick

Committee seeks funds for memorial

by Emily Canning-Dean

Reporter

Bedford: A memorial statue for baseball hall-of-famer Elmer Flick could be erected in the city by next spring.

“There is a committee that has formed for the project,” said Mayor Dan Pocek. “It still hasn’t been decided where the statue will be placed yet.”

“I think we’re leaning towards putting it in the square,” said Jim Wagner, chair of the committee.

Wagner went to Council a year ago requesting that a memorial be set up for Flick, who lived in Bedford his entire life. Flick played for Cleveland between 1902 and 1910.

“We had decided a statue would be a better idea than a memorial plaque,” Wagner said. “A plaque just makes it feel like a graveyard.”

Wagner said after talking to a sculptor on the west side of Cleveland, he learned a statue would cost about $50,000.

“We’re trying to raise money for the cost of the statue,” Wagner said. “We are trying to get information to local businesses who might want to donate and be a part of this.”

Wagner said the sculptor will first make a small replica of what the original statue will look like. This will cost $2,000.

“After the small replica is made, we might have some small 7-inch statues made out of an inexpensive material like resin and give them out as a gift to people who donate for the statue,” Wagner said.

Once the money is raised and the statue is started, it will take about six months to complete.

“We originally were hoping to have the statue finished by the end of this year’s baseball season,” he said. “Now we’re hoping to have it finished by next year’s opening day.”

Wagner said the committee will plan an unveiling ceremony when the statue is complete.

Anyone who would like to donate to the statue fund can call the Bedford Historical Society at 440-232-0796.

E-mail: ecanning@recordpub.net

Phone: 440-232-4055 ext. 4110
 
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bedford Ohio Blog Homepage- http://bedfordoh.blogspot.com

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home