Kerryn Weeden, Virginia Gawler and Michael Bayles want the defunct gun behind them moved from the Rotary peace memorial. Photo: Erin Hee.
Following the launch of its petition at an art exhibition, a Wagga group is taking the next step in having a piece of artillery shifted from a peace park.
The petition by Wagga Quakers seeks to relocate the 25-pounder gun that points at the Rotary Peace Monument at The Esplanade, alongside Wollundry Lagoon.
The petition was introduced at the Quaker Narrative Embroidery Exhibition at Wagga’s Ambo Gallery, and will be presented to Wagga City Council on the United Nations International Day of Peace (21 September) next year.
Since Wagga was declared the first Rotary peace city in 1993, as part of the Rotary ‘Peace City Project’ initiated by Kooringal Rotary Club, 67 Rotary Peace Communities have sprung up around the globe.
Petition organiser Kerryn Weeden said the request might “seem a little silly or come off as nimby”, but she thinks removing the gun would further promote the peace vision the Kooringal Rotary Club had for Wagga.
“Everybody’s entitled to their own views,” Ms Weeden said.
“But when do we take a stand and say, ‘Things are happening, and we need to pay attention to them’.
“Now, if it just went across the road [Victory Memorial Gardens], where we honour and respect the people who fought for our country.”
Fellow Quaker Virginia Gawler feels disheartened that as the world’s first peace community, there is a cannon with its barrel pointed at the Rotary Peace Monument.
The defunct 25-pounder gun, which is at The Esplanade near Ivan Jack Drive, is pointed at the Rotary Peace Monument. Photo: Erin Hee.
“Wagga is not known as a peace city,” Ms Gawler said.
“It’s well-known for the Kapooka army base, the Air Force base, and the Navy base.
“It’s a military town, but we don’t hear about Wagga as a peace city.”
The Quakers have decided to take it upon themselves to restore that vision of peace.
Lifelong Quaker Michael Bayles, who helped organise and collect the embroidered tapestries exhibited at The Ambo Gallery, said it represented violence in a peace park.
“We’re against all wars and killing people,” Mr Bayles said. “What Quakers believe is that God is within every person.
“By killing somebody, you’re killing part of God.”
Ms Weeden said their were more appropriate places for the 25-pounder gun.
“They trained on those guns here in Kapooka, so it would probably be more appropriate if it was out on army base or somewhere else,” Ms Weeden said.
“If somebody wanted to come here and just spend time meditating or enjoy the lagoon, they’re reminded of the violence.
“The world seems a little uncertain at the moment.
“There is a lot of strife and catastrophe and what can we do about that?”
“It’s symbolic, really,” Ms Gawler said.
“It’s only been there since 1964; there’s no great story attached to it.
“There’s a lot of monuments in the Victory Memorial Gardens that tell stories about people and their sacrifices.
“It’s not significant in any way other than being a weapon of war.”
The Quakers of Wagga will also be at the Gaza Aid Project festival on 23 August at Wagga Beach with the petition, and plan to present it to Wagga Council on the United Nations International Day of Peace on 21 September next year.
