Time for a new statue?

Hi Edmonton. It’s me, Janine. I missed you.

It’s been a while because, well, you have been doing a good job without me. At least, I thought you were.

And then I noticed, that none of you are asking the big question when it comes to this whole arena debate. The Journal has a new angle every weekend but has one person asked the biggest question of all? No.

That's the one. (Photo: joevare)

What is that question? I’m happy to tell you dear friends…

What will happen to the Gretzky Statue?!

Yes, the Hockey icon (dare-I-say) of yesteryear. He stands proudly, holding that long-ago Stanley cup up high above his head. It’s long been a landmark of our great city.

Many people have pictures taken in front of, and with, the fine statue… but if the team gets moved downtown into a new arena what happens to the forgotten statue?

Will we move the relic? Is there a spot for it in the new building? Can it go in the floating garden? There are so many things to consider!

Perhaps we leave it there, a forgotten memento of a winning team and a franchise to be truly proud of. We could build a new statue of another hockey player who really bound the fans together.

(Here’s where I get really unpopular.) Why not build a statue of Chris Pronger at our new arena site?

It’s the last time I really remember all the fans being on the same side. Brought together by our hatred of a man who left our city behind, some of us still boo him. He was a man who thought we weren’t good enough, a man who wanted someplace warmer, someplace where the fans cared less. But, he also played on a team that got to the Stanley Cup Finals.

When did that happen next? Only time will tell, but it doesn’t look like it will be happening any time soon. Maybe one day our kids will experience what it’s like to have a winning hockey team. Until that moment, we should remember what it was like to all be on the same page.

Four days after the big 2006 playoffs… he put a damper on everything. Those “personal reasons” were the most talked about thing for months, and his wife had the house packed up in what seemed like hours. Fans haven’t agreed as much in years, so that’s why I think that Chris Pronger deserves a statue outside of the new arena.

Or, perhaps we just make a brand new, bigger, better statue of Gretzky and all he symbolizes. Those bright, big years in the 80s.

Third option: A giant statue of Daryl Katz, dressed like Batman.

Let’s have Edmontonians decide this one.