Community Sustainability Equity
The Gargoyles of Sunnyside
August 28, 2009
The Gargoyles of Sunnyside are turning heads. For the last year, passerbys have been enjoying the latest addition to a fun walking tour of Sunnyside.
Great neighbourhoods have unique people who like to express themselves. The neighbourhood of Fremont in Seattle is a classic example. What was once a fishing neighbourhood is now the arts and culture capital of the city.
A 40 tonne bronze cast of Vladimir Lenin, 5 metres high, is mounted at an intersection. The monument was found in a scrap yard in the former Czechoslovakia. It was shipped to Seattle and erected in 1994. I can only imagine the uproar this must have caused. Now it is an integral part of the neighbourhood.
Gerald Wheatley, a Sunnyside resident, asked what Sunnyside could do here in Calgary? He said, “it is about opportunism. In Fremont, Seattle, an Army Surplus store was closing down and had a cold war era missile. Someone got it for free. Originally it was mounted on top of the community arts centre with a description saying it was aimed at city hall, to keep them in line.” The 53 foot high Fremont Missile is now an icon.
Besides the gargoyles, there are other attractions in Sunnyside:
Yvonne Martinez’s Urban Bird Time-Share
Gerald and Kerri’s Mounted Bike
Karen Teskey’s Creations
In line with this, while the City was cutting down diseased poplar trees in the Sunnyside, Gerald's neighbours asked that they just chop the tree in front of their house down to 12 feet. There were 3 stools, perfect for something.
One evening a neighbour dropped by Gerald’s and was excited about some gargoyles she saw in a store. They could be perched on the tree. The next day they drove down and bought 3 of them.
Upon putting the gargoyles up in the tree, an anonymous complaint went into the City almost immediately. A bylaw person came by saying that this was not allowed on City land. Gerald says, “that you are not allowed to do anything on the boulevard. That is what is thrilling about it. We were told you can’t do this. Are you kidding me? We were not asking for any money. This is good for the community.”
Thus far the gargoyles have stayed up. At night they glow with solar powered lights around them. One neighbour though thought that the gargoyles were too scary, so they bought an angel statue and placed it beside one of the gargoyles.
Reaction to the gargoyles has been largely positive. Many stop to admire them and take pictures.
Gerald says he loves to build on things that are already here. The next goal is to raise $10,000 and put a buffalo sculpture, made of metal by local artist George Duncan, where the gargoyles are now. A neighbour a block down has a tree where the gargoyles can be relocated. The reason for a buffalo in that current location is because at the base of the bluff there are many buffalo bones. Traditionally a buffalo symbolizes sustainability.
Until the money is raised, enjoy the gargoyles.
