Albion officials want to hear from community whether public funds go towards reindeer sculpture
Photo by Tom Rivers: This miniature clay model of a reindeer was created by Brian Porter of Pendleton. He would like to make the reindeer as a bronze statue that would be feet high and 6 feet long to add to Albion’s embrace of its heritage as home to a school for Santas.
ALBION – The Albion Village Board wants to hear from the community whether it should devote any village funds towards a sculpture of a reindeer.
The board will have a 6 p.m. public hearing on Feb. 26 in the village office about spending money towards a full-size clay model of a reindeer. Sculptor Brian Porter of Pendleton in Niagara County has created a miniature model of a reindeer. It’s the first step towards creating a full-size bronze statue. Porter envisions a reindeer with big antlers that would be six feet in height and six feet in length.
He also created the bronze statue of Santa on Main Street. That project was led by the Albion betterment Committee and funded with donations.
Village Trustee Joyce Riley said adding reindeer sculptures around Albion would be another way to celebrate the community’s Santa heritage and boost local tourism.
Porter said a full-size clay model of the reindeer would cost $12,500. To make a statue out of bronze would be another $65,000.
Riley would like to give Porter the go-ahead to work on the large clay model so it could be ready in time to be displayed during the Sept. 26-28 Erie Canal Arts & Craft Festival led by the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council. The three-day festival is planned for Albion, Holley and Kendall.
Riley suggested the village fund the large clay model, and then pursue grants and donations for the bronze statue.
Once there is a mold for the bronze statue, Riley said duplicates could be made at the lower-cost metal and material so all of Santa’s nine reindeer are displayed around the community.
She would like to see $15,000 total set aside from the village with $12,500 towards the larger clay model and another $2,500 towards and advertising and fundraising campaign.
Mayor Angel Javier said the $15,000 “is a lot of money” and he wants to hear from taxpayers.
Riley said the reindeer ultimately could be part of encouraging more people to live in Albion, set up businesses and visit. She thinks it would have a larger economic impact on the community.
Albion is home to a Santa School from 1937 until the death of the school’s founder, Charles W. Howard in 1966. Howard also led the Christmas Park attraction in Albion.
Besides the bronze statue of Howard, there are two Christmas-themed murals in Albion as well as “Believe” signs. The state Department of Transportation also has dedicated a section of Route 31 in Albion as the Charles W. Howard Memorial Highway.
