Opponents seek to block towering Virgin Mary statue to be built atop popular Northern California ski mountain

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On Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, Mt. Shasta Ski Park in McCloud, Calif. announced plans for a 20 foot Virgin Mary statue to be built atop its Douglas ski slope. (Mt. Shasta Ski Park )

MT. SHASTA, Calif. - A campaign has been launched to try and block the construction of a 20-foot Virgin Mary statue atop a popular ski park in Northern California.

Over the weekend, Mt. Shasta Ski Park, located in McCloud in Siskiyou County, announced that plans were underway to erect the statue at the top of its Douglas ski slope.

The ski resort said that the statue's platform was set to be built this season, with the towering Virgin Mary structure itself in place by next summer.

The park described the project as one that was very personal for its owner, Robin Merlo, who lost her husband in 2020.

"The installation of this statue is very important to our owner as this was a shared goal with her late husband and business partner, Ray Merlo," Mt. Shasta Ski Park posted on Facebook. "They have dedicated their resources to improving the Ski Park over the last few years and in the words of Robin Merlo, this statue is a promise fulfilled and a true representation of the dedication to family that we all value so much here at the Ski Park."

Mt. Shasta Ski Park in McCloud, Calif. said its 20 foot Virgin Mary statue was set to be up by next summer. (Mt. Shasta Ski Park )

The day after the announcement, opponents launched a petition on change.org calling on the ski park to "cease and desist this construction project immediately."

As of Tuesday afternoon, the petition had nearly reached its goal of collecting 1,000 signatures.

Describing the ski park as a community gathering spot, the petition’s author wrote, "Many of us have been skiing at our beloved local ski park in Mount Shasta since childhood. It has always been a place of joy, unity, and natural beauty. However, recent efforts to erect a religious statue threaten to disrupt this cherished environment."

The petition noted that the structure would go up at a location that offered some of the best vistas of the area and said that the planned structure would be an intrusive disturbance.

"Local gathering places, whether private or not, should remain neutral spaces that promote inclusivity and respect for all visitors," the petition stated.

Opponents called on the U.S. Forest Service to intervene, saying the ski park was granted its use permits through the agency, something park officials disputed as being inaccurate.

A spokesperson for the resort told KTVU that the ski park was privately owned and on private land and that the necessary permits had been approved for the project to move forward.

The Forest Service confirmed that the ski park was on private land and noted, "There may be confusion because there is a parking lot which the Ski Park utilizes under a Special Use Permit with the Forest Service."

In lieu of the statue, opponents urged the park’s owners to consider using the project money for something that would help the wider community, such as a homeless shelter or substance abuse detox facility.

"We suggest donating the money allocated for this project toward something that might actually benefit the community in a real way," the petition stated.

Opponents stressed that the structure risked alienating those who do not share the same religious beliefs symbolized by the statute.

In its announcement, the ski park explained that the statue was not intended as a religiously alienating monument but one that served as a tribute to what the beloved mountain symbolized.

"The goal is not to focus on any one religion," the Mt. Shasta shared, "but to acknowledge and honor the beauty and spiritual power of the mountain we all love so much."

This story was reported from Oakland, Calif.