A small scale model of a bronze bear sculpture slated for Kenai’s airport was unveiled last week at a joint Kenai and Soldotna chamber luncheon.
Mary Bondurant is the former Kenai airport manager. She says if the project is brought to fruition, it will feature three life size bears outside of the airport’s departure gate entrance.
“The mother bear has a sockeye salmon in her mouth, and one of her cubs is thoroughly engrossed and watching what mom's doing," Bondurant said. "And then the third bear is going to be standing up like on the dry stream bed, looking as if you're driving up to the terminal, and you catch his attention, and he's alerted that somebody's coming.”
Bondurant says the sculpture, which was announced in 2023, will cost about $200,000 to create and install. According to the project’s website, just under half that amount has been donated so far. Bondurant says the group is also applying for grants. The project is also sponsored by 8 local organizations.
The group leading the project is hoping to secure a contract with the same artist who created a large moose sculpture outside of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Soldotna. Bondurant says they’re hoping to install the airport’s bronze bear sculpture by the end of the year.
“It's definitely going to create an opportunity for visitors and local members to come to the airport and really see how we are recognizing the culture and the wildlife of the Kenai Peninsula," Bondurant said. "We at the airport have always considered the Kenai airport to be Alaska's gateway to the Kenai Peninsula.”
Bondurant hopes the bronze bear project will lead to more art around the Kenai Peninsula.
