Artworks

Description

The original statue of Queen Elizabeth II was cast in cement by local sculptor Peggy Walton Packard to commemorate the royal visit to Victoria in 1959. In 1960 the statue was stolen from City Hall as a university prank. Three days later it was recovered and reinstalled in Beacon Hill Park, on the south edge of the Park's main parking lot on Circle Drive.  A month later it was chipped by vandals then stolen again, and later found at the bottom of the Inner Harbour.

The Daily Times commissioned a replacement by Ottawa sculptor Arnold Price.  Price used the original mold created by Peggy Packard, to create a bronze bust. The completed work was sited in Beacon Hill Park on the southeast corner of Queen's Lake on Circle Drive. It was formally presented to the City of Victoria by publisher Stuart Keate on August 5, 1962.

The second bust was knocked over in August 1965 and incurred additional damage throughout its life span. In February 2021, the head of the sculpture was removed by vandals, and the sculpture de-commissioned. The rock wall constructed as a base for the bust remains in Beacon Hill Park, and is now used as planter.

About Arnold Price

Details