A three-foot monument of national hero Jose Rizal will be installed in Alberta, Canada.
In a statement Thursday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the bust carved by Filipino sculptor Toym Imao will be installed in Nose Creek Regional Park in Airdrie, a popular venue for Filipino community events. The installation of the monument will serve as a tribute to all Filipinos in Alberta.
“The Rizal Monument will be a tribute to all the hardworking Filipinos in Alberta, which hosts the second-largest Filipino population in Canada, and will be a source of pride for the whole Filipino community,” Philippine Consul General Zaldy Patron said in a statement.
Patron first proposed the building of the monument to Airdrie Mayor Peter Brown in June 2019.
The Airdrie City Council later approved the proposal in its March 1 and April 6 sessions.
“We are very proud and pleased to announce our support for a community project that recognizes and celebrates Airdrie’s unique Filipino heritage,” Brown said.
“The monument will make a welcome addition to our already beloved Nose Creek Regional Park,” he said.
The Rizal Monument in Airdrie is expected to be completed in October 2021.