Rename park after ‘Elizabeth the Great’
Local poet launches petition to commission statue in memory of monarch
A MAN has called on Newbury Town Council to honour the life of Queen Elizabeth II by renaming Victoria Park after her.
Steve Wallis wants the council to commission a statue of the late monarch to be placed in the park and he wants the green space to be renamed ‘Elizabeth the Great Park’.
The 59-year-old poet has launched an online petition to try to get these changes instigated, as well as an online poll to gauge the public’s opinion on what type of statue should be built.
He said: “It seems both right and proper that we should recognise not only the record-breaking duration of Her Majesty’s reign, but also what she achieved in a rapidly changing world.
“She lived her life and fulfilled her duties under increasingly intense media scrutiny, dealing with national and family crises in a way that inspired the nation and made her feel like a part of everyone’s family.
“She was not a distant monarch, mysterious in her majesty, aloof and indifferent.
“She was Elizabeth the Great, but for so many people she was also Elizabeth the Great-Grandmother.”
Mr Wallis has proposed three different designs for the Queen’s statue in the poll.
The first suggestion is of the Queen wearing riding boots, a gilet and a headscarf, walking through the park grass surrounded by her corgis.
The second is of the Queen sitting at a picnic table having tea with Paddington Bear, in reference to the recent TV sketch that was released to cel
ebrate her Platinum Jubilee.
These two designs would be ground level, allowing visitors to take photographs with her.
Mr Wallis said: “I know that some people might take issue with the accessible nature of the suggested statue – Victoria’s, after all, is elevated above the commoners to reinforce her position and enhance her majesty.
“But Elizabeth began her reign as a modernising queen, a reign which ended in a new millennium, making her our first 21st-century monarch.
“The statue should reflect the changes that have come about in the public’s relationship with the monarchy.”
His third suggestion is a more traditional one, having the Queen standing on a stone pedestal similar to the statue of Queen Victoria that currently stands in the park.
Mr Wallis walks his dog Noggin in the park every day.
He said: “I’ve spoken with several dog-walkers and other users of the park about this proposal. The most common response is that the place would need sorting out first.
“The town council claim the park is their ‘jewel in the crown’, but it is in dire need of a polish if we are to consider it fit for a Queen.
“Surely there are sufficient businesses and individuals within the town willing to donate time, materials and money towards both a statue and the improvement works needed to give it a suitable setting?
“The piece would act as a source of pride for the town and attract visitors from far and wide.”
To view the petition, visit https://bit.ly/3fwLTm5
To view the poll, visit https://bit.ly/3SqOahs
Mr Wallis’s petition has received 10 signatures so far.