As part of the City of Venice’s Centennial celebration, the Venice Area Historical Society (VAHS) and Venice Area Beautification Inc. (VABI) have partnered to commission a statue honoring John Nolen, one of America’s most distinguished urban planners. Nolen was commissioned in 1925 to design what was then a small Gulf Coast town - Venice, Fla.

More than a century later, residents and visitors continue to enjoy Nolen’s original urban design, which is widely recognized for its thoughtful parks, landscaped streets, and traditional neighborhood planning that still define the character of Venice today.

The unveiling of the John Nolen statue will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 18 in Centennial Park at the corner of Nokomis Ave. N. and W. Venice Ave. The Venice High School Marching Band will perform beginning at 9 a.m., followed by remarks and the statue unveiling at 9:30 a.m. Speakers will include Mayor Nick Pachota; Bob Vedder, former publisher and general manager of the Venice Gondolier Sun and leader of VABI’s Bloom Team; and Frank Wright, President of VAHS. The statue was originally envisioned by Bob Vedder.

Several members of the Nolen family will travel from across the United States and Canada to attend this special event, including his grandson, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchild. Also in attendance will be Dr. Bruce Stephenson, who earned his Ph.D. at Emory University with a dissertation focused on John Nolen and his work. Dr. Stephenson is the author of the definitive biography, "John Nolen, Landscape Architect and City Planner," which won the J.B. Jackson Prize for Landscape Studies in 2016.

The all-bronze statue depicts Nolen seated on a bench holding his city plan of Venice. Major funding for the statue was provided by Dr. William Jervey, Bob and Sue Vedder, the Cousins Laning Historical Fund at Gulf Coast Community Foundation, VABI, VAHS, and numerous individual donors. This permanent addition to Centennial Park is a fitting tribute as the City of Venice celebrates its 100th anniversary.

The public is invited to attend this special morning of activities. Venice Main Street will be livestreaming the event on Facebook at facebook.com/venicemainstreet.

For more information, visit veniceareahistoricalsociety.org and vabi.org.