By Pepper Fisher

SEQUIM – The Sequim City Council is expected to approve a proposal to erect a sculpture honoring Olympian Joe Rantz, who spent his childhood in Sequim. The project is being sponsored by the Sequim Sunrise Rotary.

The upcoming movie release of “The Boys in the Boat” will likely attract interested visitors and tourists to the Sequim area, and the proposed metal sculpture is intended to commemorate Rantz and his time in Sequim and to provide visitors with a photo opportunity.

Sunrise Rotary presented the Joe Rantz Sculpture concept to the Sequim Arts Commission in November. The commission unanimously voted to approve the concept and recommend the project to the City Council. The Sunrise Rotary is working with an art production firm in Seattle that designed a similar sculpture, which is currently installed in the Fremont neighborhood in Seattle. They are planning to raise the funds to replicate the statue for installation in Sequim. The sculpture is a life-sized metal silhouette of Joe Rantz holding a 14-foot-tall oar. The Rotary intends to install it on a river rock base similar to the Elk sculptures on Highway 101.

The Sunrise Rotary has met with City Engineer Nick Dostie and will be working with him to secure a “Right of Way” permit and discuss the best placement of the sculpture. The goal is to install the sculpture on Henrickson Road along the Olympic Discovery Trail, facing the Olympic mountains and Sequim High School.

(Photo of original sculpture in Seattle taken by Valarie)