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Letter: Lessons from the ‘Lady with the Halo’

Natural wood sculptor Ron Romanko gets philosophical in discussing his favourite piece
Letter to the Editor
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In 2008, Ron Romanko (shown in a 2009 file photo) found a treasure while picking blueberries. He believes the stump is 300 years old and is the remains of a majestic white pine tree. He worked on the  stump to uncover a beautiful sculpture.Image: Marg Seregelyi, NorthernLife.ca

Some of you may remember me as the finder and the keeper of “The Lady with the Halo”, a one -of-a-kind wood sculpture created and preserved by Mother Nature. 

Since 2009, the Northern Life (now Sudbury.com) has helped to document the discovery of the piece and its history, along with my lifelong fascination with wood. I thank you for your time, effort and enthusiasm. (You can read our most recent piece on Mr. Romanko and his work here.)

In my 90th year, I can’t help but reflect on my journey through life, the state of the world and most significantly, my hometown of Sudbury, where I’ve called home for literally forever. Boy how it’s changed and evolved. But have we done enough?

The “Lady with the Halo” reflects so much of Sudbury’s journey for me. More than 150 years ago, the place I call home could only be described as a paradise of Mother Nature. She was rich with vegetation and virtually untouched. 

Then we came. We decimated her forests for her wood to rebuild after the infamous Chicago Fire and to facilitate the processing of ore for the mining industry. The land was left naked, unprotected and ill-fated. It wasn’t until the 1970s that our community began the journey to rebuild. 

Soon, my generation will be gone, and who will remember the effort to rebuild our forests and protect the land. 

I have done my very best to share our rich history through the eyes of the “Lady with the Halo”.  For more than 130 years she lay beneath the ground never fully giving away to decay. It’s that fact alone that makes her a story to be shared. Yes her beauty is undeniable, but it’s her  perseverance that is her crown jewel. 

In my quest to share our Sudbury story, I have engaged with the AGO, Science North and city  hall, without success. My interest was to engage our community and visitors with our  remarkable past and to continue our journey with environmental awareness. It is such a source  of inspiration and pride.

So I ask my hometown community this, what are we doing to ensure the four million hectares of  land is managed, remembered and enjoyed? 

PS: And I would like to encourage all my fellow Sudburian’s to continue to look for their own  “Lady with the Halo”.

Ron Romanko
Greater Sudbury