Who is the most famous person born in Valdez, Alaska? Many would say it's Commander Will Riker of the USS Enterprise, who will be born there in the year 2335. A group of Star Trek fans, headed by Valdez native Cameron Harrison, want to erect a bronze memorial statue of Riker and a commemorative plaque to mark his hometown. They even formed a nonprofit organization called Riker Maneuver to enlist public support. They already have the backing of Paramount, the company that owns Star Trek. Harrison says he spoke to Jonathan Frakes, who portrayed Riker, at Comic-Con and says he is all for it.
The design of the statue will include a bench for fans to relax on, while Riker himself is in a position to perform his iconic method of sitting down, which has been dubbed the Riker Maneuver. Fans will also be able to mimic the pose beside him for photographs. Riker Maneuver has filed plans with the Valdez Parks and Recreation Department, and are optimistically awaiting approval, after which they can begin to raise the $125,000 needed for the memorial. Parks director Ken Wilson is open to the plan, despite the fact that he's never seen Star Trek: The Next Generation. He's more of a Star Wars fan.
The commemorative statue would join other Star Trek birthplaces in honoring their future heroes, such as Riverside, Iowa, the hometown of Captain James T. Kirk, and Bloomington, Indiana, where Captain Kathryn Janeway will be born in the 24th century. Even Vulcan, Alberta, displays a bust of Mr. Spock, despite being on the wrong planet.
(Image credit:Riker Maneuver)