The "Celebrate Diversity" statue, a privately funded bronze statue depicting four small children holding hands, is located on the front lawn of the Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library.CLARKSBURG — Clarksburg city officials unveiled a new addition to the downtown landscape Friday.
The “Celebrate Diversity” statue, a privately funded bronze statue depicting four small children holding hands, is located on the front lawn of the Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library.
Plans for the statue, which cost around $15,000, have been in the works for over a year, Clarksburg Mayor Cathy Goings said.
“We actually saw this bronze statue at a National League of Cities conference,” she said. “The city was trying to figure out how we could pay for the particular statue. And one day I was at the library board meeting and I mentioned it to the board members, and a couple of them said they would like to contribute. So, to make a long story short, we ended up getting it fully funded through private donations.”
The statue is representative of the city’s diverse population, Goings said.
“In light of everything that’s going on in the country today, we thought it was appropriate to have this statue here in the heart of the city,” she said. “Clarksburg is a very diverse community.”
Clarksburg Vice Mayor Jim Malfregeot said the statue is yet another improvement to the downtown area.
“It’s absolutely beautiful,” he said. “This is centrally located, and the majority of the people going to the Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center will pass this way. It will be viewed by many, and it’s just outstanding.”
The statue is the most recent downtown beautification effort undertaken by the city, Goings said.
“We’re trying to do beautification projects throughout the city,” she said. “The Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center is the catalyst behind all of this. All of this is to clean up our downtown area and make it more presentable.”
The Fallen Soldier Memorial - Battlefield Cross - at Clarkstown's Street Community Center