Thursday, August 04, 2016

Assiduity

That's the official motto of the city of Albany. This is a statue representation of the city seal. It's installed in Tricentennial Park on Broadway, across from the city's old downtown train station (which was restored, but converted into an office building). The motto means "the quality of acting with constant and careful attention" or, more succinctly, "diligence."

The city seal as sculpture in Tricentennial Park. With tulips in the flower bed, of course.

The shield includes an image of a beaver in the top half, representing the region's fur trade, and sheaves of wheat in the bottom, representing its agricultural heritage. A native American stands on one side, and a colonist (in the sculpture, the colonist is made to look like a Dutch explorer) on the other. A European sailing ship floats above the coat of arms.

A pretty bad photo (into the sun) of Albany's former Union Station, now an office building.

Another statue, created by the same artist (who was also a political cartoonist for one of the local newspapers), depicts former Mayor Thomas Whalen sitting on a park bench with his dog, a golden retriever named Finn McCool. Whalen was mayor from 1983 to 1993. I had already left Albany by then.

6 comments:

  1. the statues are fantastic

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  2. I'd have just had to have a photo snuggled in to Mr Mayor alongside Finn.

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  3. I should imagine that Mr Whalen has had many a young lady (and others) snapped in his lap. Looks like from his legs-akimbo position the sculptor was intending that very thing.

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  4. I love the sculpture of the mayor and his dog. That's some catchy (not) motto. One would have to work very assiduously to remember it.

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  5. I love the little parks in cities. This one is good :)

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  6. gosia, I agree!

    potty, I'm sure many people have done that. :)

    raybeard, I think you're right. I would have had I not been alone, or if I had had my tripod!

    mitch, assiduity begins with... oh, never mind.

    judy, they're nice little oases!

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