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By Anne M. Hanenburg, RLA

Artist Debra Copenhaver-Fellows created a 14-inch statuette of the two Scouts in the early 1980s to be used as a recognition gift to major national donors to Scouting. At the time, Copenhaver-Fellows used Scouts from Troop 325 as her models. They were led by her scoutmaster stepfather, Dean Dinnison. The larger sculpture overlooks downtown Spokane and the Spokane River.

The Boy Scouts of America, Troop 325’s project ‘Footsteps to the Future’ is a bronze sculpture located in the heart of downtown Spokane, Wash. The project evolved from the conceptual stage to reality thanks to the efforts of Tom Sherry and Ken Van Voorhis, principal landscape architects, along with Anne M. Hanenburg, RLA at SPVV Landscape Architects who donated services to the Spokane troop.

The sculpture, created by nationally recognized sculptor and artist Deborah Copenhaver-Fellows, honors members of the community that have provided leadership and mentoring to young people and future leaders of our city, state and nation. The sculpture depicts two scouts; the oldest placing a reassuring hand on the shoulder of the younger scout and pointing toward City Hall. This is symbolic of the older boy providing leadership and footsteps to follow into the future.

The 8-foot ‘Footsteps to the Future’ statue shows two Scouts in uniform with the older of the two pointing to imply the sharing of knowledge. Details such as belts, patches and kerchiefs of the Scouts as well as an older-style canteen were captured in the sculpture.

The ‘Footsteps to the Future’ sculpture and its surrounding plaza are nestled on a hillside in Veteran’s Park along the north bank of the Spokane River. The project provides visual and physical connectivity to downtown and the adjacent Centennial Trail — a 37-mile paved trail popular with walkers, bicyclists and runners that stretches from downtown Spokane to north Idaho.

The project also establishes an anchor to Spokane’s newest mixed-use development, the adjacent 78-acre Kendall Yards. A handicap accessible path leads pedestrians to the sculpture and an overlook where views of the Spokane Falls are captured below. The sculpture has become the twenty-second addition to ‘Spokane Sculpture Walk’ – an internationally recognized sculpture park frequented by citizens and visitors to Spokane.

SPVV completed the landscape design, grading plan and construction details. The firm also obtained the construction permit and special shoreline permits. SPVV moved the project through the city of Spokane Design Review process, and also the public notification process. SPVV helped Troop 325 with donated materials by contacted a nearby landowner and Land Expressions, LLC, requesting they consider donating rock setting services and hardscape material.

The project is located within 150-feet of the Spokane River and as such, required the special shoreline permits, public hearings and notifications, approval from the Spokane Park Board and Spokane Arts Commission. The design team also worked with the Spokane Indian Tribe to obtain approval since the site for the sculpture served as primary fishing grounds for the Spokane Tribe in centuries past.