News Release
Robbie Burns to Get a Bath
(Friday, July 13, 2001) --At 12:00 noon today, Friday, July 13, 2001, members of the Halifax North British Society of Halifax will be celebrating their Scottish heritage with a little elbow grease. The Society will be carrying out a cleaning of the Robert Burns Statue in Victoria Park (corner of Spring Garden Road and South Park Street). The volunteer cleaners will work in full Scottish attire. The group will be assisted by the Highland Company of Nova Scotia, a youth group sponsored by the North British Society.
The cleaning will aim at removing dirt, grime, and droppings associated with its urban location. The cleaning will be with a mild mix of soap and water and will be under the direction of a local conservator. A proposal for a more thorough cleaning of the Burns statue is being prepared by the society for presentation to the Municipality.
The Halifax North British Society - The Scotts - is a Scottish cultural society which was founded in 1768 and aims to preserve and promote the culture and traditions of Scottish heritage. It is the oldest Scottish Heritage Society outside of Great Britain. The society donated the Robbie Burns statue to the City in 1919 to celebrate the Scottish poet and his contribution to literature and Scottish heritage. In 1932 the Society erected the bust of Sir Walter Scott which is directly outside the gates of the Public Gardens. Today the society also sponsors the Dartmouth Jr Pipe Band, Halifax Highland Games, local scouting organizations, and the Scotts Highland Company. It also provides academic scholarships and materials related to genealogical research.
Further information can be obtained by dropping by the site during cleaning, or by contacting John Sutherland, North British Society, or Peter Bigelow, HRM.
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Contact:
John Sutherland, Executive Secretary
North British Society
(902)425-2445
Peter Bigelow, Manager
Parks & Open Spaces
(902)490-6047
