On Monday, June 13, 2011, the third anniversary of the crest of the Flood of 2008, the City of Cedar Rapids will host a rededication ceremony at 10:30 a.m. for the Lady Liberty statue on the First Avenue Bridge in downtown. The event will include the unveiling of the newly-refurbished statue, a ribbon cutting ceremony and a reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance led by local boy scouts.
- WHEN: Monday, June 13, at 10:30 a.m.
- WHERE: First Avenue Bridge, Downtown Cedar Rapids
The Lady Liberty statue was damaged in the Flood of 2008. Since then, community volunteers have dedicated almost 300 hours soda-blasting, rebuilding and repainting the 8 ½ foot tall statue, including members of the Sheet Metal Workers International Association Local 263 and the Painters Local Union 447.
The Boy Scouts of America gave the replica of the Statue of Liberty to the citizens of Cedar Rapids in 1950. Cedar Rapids is one of 102 communities to receive a statue through the Boy Scouts’ two-year crusade to “strengthen the arm of liberty” in 1949 and 1950. In 2003, the statue was moved from Greene Square Park to the First Avenue Bridge. Next week, the statue will be dedicated to the citizens of Cedar Rapids again from the bridge.
The rain date for this event is Tuesday, June 14, at the same time and place.