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Preserve Trail’s historic rock wall: a symbol of hard work and pride

Letter from Felicia Kryski
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Felicia Kryski, when she was a child, with her Nonno, Louie Bedin, at one of his rock walls. Louie passed away Aug. 7, 2022, at the age of 84. The year before his passing, in a story about Louie written by Eileen Truant Pederson and published in the Trail Times, he said of his stonemason expertise, “You have to like to do it. You resolve. You say, ‘I did it.’ I’m happy I did it, because it is hard work, there is no doubt about it.” Photo: Submitted

It comes with great sadness that I am writing this to you after hearing about the demolition of the rock wall on Daniel Street.

In 1958, my Nonno, Luigi Bedin, led the construction of the two dry support walls, the Bay Avenue portion in Columbia Heights that joins both Topping and Daniel Streets.

I urge you to preserve this wall as it is not just a huge part of my family history, but Trail’s history as well.

Since my Nonno’s passing, I often walk and drive these streets to remember him and the hard work he did for this community.

Not only does their beauty speak for itself, but these walls hold history of skilled tradesmen and intricate design in a world where architectural beauty is fleeting.

Many of the men that built these walls came to Trail for a better life, to which Trail provided.

These walls will always symbolize hard work and pride for the Trail community.

Sincerely,

Felicia Kryski

Trail

Read more: Trail walking tour offers ‘taste of life in Little Italy’

Read more: “Set in Stone ~ A History of Trail’s Rock Walls”

Read more: Paying homage to a cherished Trail stonemason

Read more: Celebrating Louie Bedin, Trail’s surviving stonemason extraordinaire



Sheri Regnier

About the Author: Sheri Regnier

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