The Project
The Riker Maneuver was set up by three Star Trek fans: Cameron Harrison, from Valdez; Patrick Campaign, from Anchorage; and Jessie Desmond, from Fairbanks. We recognize that Alaska has a budding space industry and a strong local interest in classic sci-fi, specifically Star Trek. This includes location filming for Star Trek VI at Knik Glacier, official Star Trek characters at the opening of UAF’s Reichardt Building in 1995, and the Anchorage Museum’s The Art of Fandom exhibit in 2017. In the 1980s, Gene Roddenberry (Star Trek creator) traveled to Alaska on a cruise and marveled at the beauty of Valdez. He was so moved by Valdez that he insisted on a future character having Alaskan roots.
This statue and bench installation for Valdez, AK is to honor the great fictional Star Trek character, Commander William T Riker (played by actor Jonathan Frakes), who is slated to be born in Valdez on August 19, 2335. The plan is to have Commander Riker standing with his foot up on the bench, a classic pose by this character that will lend itself to great photo opportunities. The statue itself will be done by Patrick Garley out of Palmer who has experience creating life-size bronze pieces. The bench will be constructed out of concrete for durability. We will be looking to work with a local contractor for the installation process.
“With all due respect, sir – you need me. Particularly now.”
This art installation will be a tourist point-of-interest and will help enhance community aesthetic. Paramount Pictures has its own set of rules and regulations for Star Trek installations, which include finding a local “statue steward” who is willing to regularly maintain the installation; if their specs are met, they will use their platform to advertise the project and the crowd-funding project, and would encourage Jonathon Frakes himself to endorse and publicize the effort. As a result, we would offer Valdez businesses the opportunity to be involved with the unveiling event.
The statue and bench will be completely paid for through crowdfunding sources, which allow patrons to donate online and share the project through social media. The cost to the City of Valdez would be to include a website page (on their current website) about the statue. The “Steward of the Statue” would need to spend a little time with maintenance of the statue.
