Penetanguishene's iconic angels to get a new home thanks to federal funding

After the First World War, a Jesuit priest named Gerald F Lahey donated two angel statues to celebrate 300 years since the arrival of French explorer Samuel de Champlain to Penetanguishene. Now, more than 100 years later, the 'angels of good intentions' have become a community staple.

"It just sort of represented a really friendly town that was bilingual, and when you got to those angels, you knew you were here in Penetanguishene," said curator and Penetanguishene Centennial Museum supervisor Nicole Jackson.

During the 1990s, the town decided to make moulds of the original statues, which were made of zinc. Those zinc statues remain at the Penetanguishene Centennial Museum.

New bronze replica statues are currently on display at Main Street and Thompsons Road.

"Everyone who is from here and comes here relates to the angels as kind of the entrance. It's the gateway. It's home. It's who we are," said Penetanguishene Mayor Doug Rawson,

"When you refer to someone who is a homebody, who never leaves town, instead of saying that person never leaves town, there was always the saying 'they've never been beyond the angels,'" said Sherry Desjardins, the Director of Recreation and Community Services for the Town of Penetanguishene.

Thanks to just over $272,913 in funding through the federal government's Building Communities through Arts and Heritage Program, the replica angels will be moving further down Main Street to a more accessible location where Penetanguishene borders Midland.

"Because the town has built up around the angels in their current location at Main Street and Thompsons Road -all the development around it- that sense of arrival has been lost," said Desjardins.

"The funding always helps get projects across the line, but this has been a grassroots effort that's been driven by town staff, community groups and our francophone community for many years," said Rawson.

The relocation project includes the creation of a small park and the installation of signage to commemorate the historical and cultural significance of the monuments.

"It historically meant the merging of the two cultures of English and French. Hence the names of the angels as Ontario and Quebec. So they've always been a lovely gateway to Penetanguishene," said resident Jon Main.

"Unfortunately, a lot of our community people don't even realize the importance of those two angels," lamented long-time resident Joe Maurice who has lived in Penetanguishene since 1953.

The new location will also feature a new town sign. Penetanguishene's mayor says it's great to be able to bring the importance of the statues back into focus.

"We can relate to the historical significance, and our current population and our youth get to appreciate what they're all about," said Rawson.

The official unveiling of the new home for the angels is set for September 25 on Franco-Ontarian Day. On that day, several community groups will be involved with everything from educating youth on the significance of the angels to translating signage to decorating the park with art and gardens.