Art and nature came together in Regina on the weekend to honour the memory of one of the city’s former iconic natural landmarks, the American Elm that stood for more than a century in Victoria Park before it had to be removed in 2023 due to safety concerns.

Now, a piece of its trunk sits in Regina’s Les Sherman Park, where community members and city officials gathered to unveil the four pieces of art, now a permanent feature of the park, the tree inspired. 

The city partnered with the University of Regina and local artists to create the collection of sculptures, including a bronze piece crafted by Julien Hamon-Fafard, a student artist at the university.

A chunk of the remains of Regina's oldest tree and with a Cathedral Village Forest sign beside it. Regina’s oldest tree, an American Elm, stood in Victoria Park until 2023 and was believed to be more than 120 years old. A piece of its trunk now rests at Les Sherman Park, along with four sculptures celebrating its memory. (Liam St. George Avison/Radio-Canada)

“It’s a beaver swimming,” Hamon-Fafard said. 

“Being here in the park, there’s a river flowing, there’s trees and the beaver is such an important animal for the ecosystem, so I got inspired by nature and our environment, and think it’ll represent to the people who get to see it what they can learn about this ecosystem.” 

A young man with glasses is smiling. Julien Hamon-Fafard, a University of Regina art student, says his sculpture, inspired by the elm tree, is a beaver swimming. (Liam St. George Avison/Radio-Canada )

Hamon-Fafard was invited by Prof. Sean Whalley to take part in the project  alongside three other students who contributed artwork as well. 

The project is part of the City of Regina’s 2025 Neil Balkwill Civic Arts Centre artist in residency, which focused on transforming the trunk of the historic elm into meaningful public art.

While Hamon-Fafard’s piece carries environmental symbolism, he says the message can also be straightforward.

“If someone doesn’t wan to think deeply about it, you can think about the the importance of animals and protecting our environment, and the importance also that the beavers have in creating the water systems that we have now.” 

The installation is also a reminder of the importance of Regina’s urban forest, including Les Sherman Park, which plays a vital role in community life. 

“It’s a cultural hub for this community,” said Hamon-Fafard. “It’s a gathering place, it’s a place you can come and relax and enjoy nature, so I think naturally people want to take care of it and preserve it as best as they can.”

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