It’s time to get cultured! The City of Airdrie invites you to attend a commemorative ceremony of our community’s history of friendship with Gwacheon, Korea, on July 16 from 6 to 8 pm at Nose Creek Park.
“Gwacheon Park is beautiful and attracts people from across Canada as a landmark that people want to come see and take pictures of,” says Kim Harris, culture specialist with the City of Airdrie.
“If members of the public have not been down to the park, it is a good chance to see its beauty and a little Korean culture within Airdrie.”
In 1997, the City of Airdrie developed a sister city relationship with the City of Gwacheon. The sister city relationship started with the intent to provide opportunities for Airdrie residents to share cultural experiences, develop friendships and explore economic opportunities for local businesses with the City of Gwacheon.
The butterfly symbol of the City of Gwacheon was used for the central flowerbeds, the flag poles and the sitting area that are located on the east side of Nose Creek Park. In 2007, six handcrafted totem poles were donated to the City of Airdrie by Gwacheon to commemorate 10 years of sharing a sister city relationship.
The ceremony on July 16 marks a restoration of the park within a park and will include a short speech by Mayor Peter Brown and Tony Choi, president of the Calgary Korean Association.
The totem poles were restored and reinstalled in May 2024. The restoration added another 10 years to their life. Other recent rejuvenation efforts include planting wheat grass, Alberta rose bushes and hibiscus in the area, as well as the addition of a butterfly design to the Gwacheon flag and a wooden gateway into Gwacheon Park.
“The event is being held as part of Airdrie’s cultural history and friendship with Gwacheon City. The upgrades to the park include new plantings, new engraved benches, blossoming trees, landscaping and a new Hongsalmun (Korean Arch) that signifies entry into a sacred area or area of significance,” says Harris.
“All of these upgrades align with the original intent to mimic the look and feel of Gwacheon Park. Airdrie is proud of Gwacheon Park and to showcase Korean culture within our city.”
The event will also include entertainment from Ben Sures and the Korean traditional musical group Calgary Korean Puripae Troupe. Learn more about the ceremony at airdrie.ca.
