Salmon Run Bell Tower rededicated in Vancouver's Esther Short Park
As the clock struck noon Friday, the familiar chimes of the Salmon Run Bell Tower marked more than just the start of the hour. They rang in a new beginning for one of downtown Vancouver's most recognizable landmarks.
Community leaders and residents gathered in Esther Short Park for the rededication of the 69-foot-tall tower, which was built in 2002 as part of efforts to revitalize downtown.
"Public art tells stories that outlast one generation. This is the gift that we give to our children, the memories, the place," said Russell Ford, artist and member of Vancouver's Cultural Arts and Heritage Commission.
The tower's construction was funded largely through a donation from philanthropists George and Carolyn Propstra. The Chinook Indian Nation was consulted during the creation of the tower's diorama in 2002, said Sam Robinson, the tribe's vice chairman.
In recent years, the bell tower underwent restoration due to aging infrastructure and environmental exposure. The tower's brickwork, clock, glockenspiel, rotating diorama, audio system, artwork and internal systems were restored, Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle said.
"Today's celebration is about preservation, but it's also about the future," she said.
The tower now features a diorama accompanied by storytelling and audio narration.
After the bells strike at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. each day, small doors on the tower open to reveal the story of the Chinook First Salmon Ceremony: the catch of the first salmon, it being shared by the community and the return of its remains to the river.
"The story reminds us that environmental stewardship is not a modern idea," Robinson said. "It has been practiced by Indigenous people for thousands of years."
McEnerny-Ogle described the tower as standing in "Vancouver's living room," a place where residents gather to celebrate and share everyday moments. With the restoration complete, speakers said they hope it will continue connecting the community for years to come.
"The return of the salmon depends on timing, our lives depend on timing, and how appropriate that we have a bell tower that's not just about 'get going.' It's about taking a moment and to reflect," Ford said.
As soft rain drizzled over Esther Short Park, faces turned skyward as the bells rang out across Propstra Square.
In many ways, the moment on Friday mirrored the story the bell tower has told for years - one of salmon returning home, generation after generation.
On any given day in the park, most people pass through on their way to somewhere else, carrying their own destinations and stories. But for a few brief moments on Friday, the sound of the bells gave them a reason to stop, look up and share a moment in time together.
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