Land Bridge Refurbishment Dedication Ceremony

VANCOUVER, Wash. — Friends and supporters of Confluence will celebrate 20 years of work, Earth Day, and the completion of a major refurbishment project at the Confluence Land Bridge at a dedication ceremony in Vancouver on Friday, April 22nd. The long-awaited improvements to the iconic landmark include a new pathway, new artworks by Lillian Pitt (Warm Springs), new name plates for Native Columbia River words for People, and new historic photo panels.

“We are so grateful to the City of Vancouver, the Cowlitz Tribal Foundation Park County Fund and all of our partners for making this possible,” said Confluence Executive Director Colin Fogarty. “Monuments to our region’s living history don’t end when construction is completed. The preservation and the education surrounding the artwork itself continue long into the future.”

The nationally recognized Confluence Land Bridge was designed by renowned architect Johnpaul Jones and completed in 2008. The original project was led by Founding Executive Director Jane Jacobsen. After she passed away last year, a sugar maple tree was planted at the Land Bridge in her honor, in partnership between Confluence, the City of Vancouver, and the National Park Service. The ceremony will dedicate Jane’s tree as part of the City of Vancouver’s Witness Tree program.

Partners and funders for the Land Bridge refurbishment include the City of Vancouver, The Cowlitz Tribal Foundation Clark County Fund, The Price Foundation, Paul B. and Deborah D. Speer, Kurt Koenig and Barbara Kommer, and the Samuel S. Johnson Foundation. Thanks also to Lillian Pitt (Warm Springs), Figure Plant, Juno Lachman, Ben Dye, Duane Lane, 1855 Plants, Erin Ray, Jesus Ceja, the National Park Service, and The Historic Trust. The project was managed by Confluence Program Manager Courtney Yilk.

WHERE: North end of Confluence Land Bridge, Vancouver, WA
WHEN: 10:30 am, Friday, April 22nd 2022

Founded in 2002, Confluence is a community supported nonprofit with the mission to connect people to the history, living cultures, and ecology of the Columbia River system through Indigenous voices. The organization works through five completes art installations, educational programs, public gatherings, and an online digital library in collaboration with northwest Tribes, communities and the celebrated artist Maya Lin.

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