'Chief Morris Antelope' statue dedication is April 4

COEUR d'ALENE — The city of Coeur d'Alene will dedicate new public art on April 4.

The art piece, titled "Chief Morris Antelope," by local artist Cheryl Metcalf, honors Chief Morris Antelope, who was a strong advocate for the rights of the Coeur d'Alene Indians. The statue is located in the area of their historical gathering place, Yap-Keehn-um.

The sculpture was commissioned by the Coeur d'Alene Arts Commission, which consists of a 12-member panel that is appointed by the mayor and serves a three-year term. The Public Art Ordinance, adopted in June of 1999, established funding of public art that provides public visibility and impact.

The dedication ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. at the sculpture site on the Centennial Trail bulkhead where River Avenue meets Rosenberry Drive. Parking is available on the north end of Rosenberry Drive (the Dike Road), the small paved lot near the intersection of College and West River drives or the large paved lot across from the wastewater treatment plant on Hubbard Avenue.

For information, call arts commission liaison Sean Holm at 676-7401.