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A lone girl sits outside Jasper library, forever reading her favourite book.
The bronze statue was installed in memory of a former library board chairwoman, Joyce Lucas-Ferguson, last week.
Dale Karpluk, the current chairwoman, said: “The statue is lovely. It is totally symbolic of the library in Jasper, literacy and reading and also a lovely story of community support. It symbolises the joy and love of reading.”
Joyce Lucas-Ferguson died in May 2013 and left the statue to the library in her will.
She had grown up in Jasper, started the Quarks and Fribbles store, was a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Library committee.
“She was a great supporter of the library,” said Karpluk. “Also a great gardener and golfer.”
Lucas-Ferguson moved from Jasper to Cochrane, AB, with her husband, Ken before she died and spent her later years travelling, golfing and gardening.
“The story goes,” said Karpluk, “that the director at the time, Judy Krefting, was on a golfing trip with Joyce when she had moved to a different place in Alberta.
“They were together golfing and she took Judy into the garden and said she was leaving the statue in her will.”
And that’s exactly what she did.
It has taken six years for the statue to be installed outside the library due to the new building being built and permits needing to be put in place.
But now she is there for good.
“I have heard people say ‘Joyce’s little brown statue is finally up at the library.’” Karpluk said. “Just library patrons, people who are close to the library and seniors who knew Joyce.”
Lucas-Ferguson is remembered in another part of the building, too.
A new In Memory wall has been installed inside the library to commemorate those who have supported the library in their will.
Names are listed next to an animal-focused metal art piece by Hinton artist Judi Rusk - the same woman who created the metal piece in the entrance.
Karpluk said: “She did the mural piece in the front entrance which recognises all of the donors that made this building possible.
“We loved it and said we would have it for our In Memory wall. If people want to donate to the library their name is on the wall.”
