OPINION: So long and farewell

Bring on the pineapple?

Upon walking around the Arcata plaza, you will notice a certain individual missing in a familiar place, William McKinley.

The McKinley Statue was dedicated to Arcata by George Zehndery a couple of months after the Great Quake in San Francisco and was removed early Wednesday morning after watching over the Arcata Plaza since its arrival on July 4, 1906. McKinley’s absence is the result of a communal effort and last November’s election, and it is heard that his statue will be put into a museum.

With the presence of our nation’s 25th president dominating the center of the plaza gone, it’s wondered what will fill the void. With a controversial icon removed from the plaza, it’s possible that the city of Arcata does not want to rush into anything. Yet the ideas to fill McKinley’s spot must be running through Arcatian’s minds.

One idea floating around the Lumberjack newsroom is a giant pineapple. With the recent passing of HSU alumni and Spongebob creator Stephen Hillenburg, a giant pineapple should grace the Plaza’s presence where it is said that Arcata and HSU were Hillenburg’s inspiration for the show. Dedicating a giant pineapple in the middle of the Arcata Plaza would truly be a wonderful commemoration of the former HSU alumni.

Here at The Lumberjack we are brainstorming ideas for potential candidates to fill the spot of McKinley.

With such a key spot in town, something ought to fill the centerpiece of Arcata. If you, the reader, have any suggestions to what that could possibly be, post on the Lumberjack page on Facebook or Instagram and explain why you think your choice would be a great fit for the plaza.