Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 23/05) - If Betty Wilcox has her way, giant ravens will descend on Yellowknife to a rooftop perch near you.

Wilcox made a presentation on behalf of the Yk Arts Festival Society last month to the city's downtown enhancement committee that calls for statues of ravens four to five feet high to be planted at various locations around town.

The ravens would be similar to the multi-coloured cows of Calgary or the bison of Edmonton.

"We're one of the few capital cities in Canada that doesn't have something like that," said Wilcox.

"I thought why not ravens? I think they're great characters. You see them everywhere."

The big birds would be made of fibreglass, and could be individually painted in different colours and designs, she said.

The idea for giant ravens first struck Wilcox while teaching her art class at Sir John Franklin high school about three years ago.

The downtown enhancement committee liked the idea. They asked the Arts Society to contact City Hall to identify potential sites.

Wilcox suggested the post office roof and the lobbies of office buildings.

The idea needs money to fly and Wilcox hopes the business community will take an interest.

"Much of it depends on funding. The next step is to actually create a model."

City councillor Blake Lyons said he likes the idea, and hopes it soars. Now if he can only keep the real ravens out of his yard.

"What I'm thinking of doing is building seven-foot owls to kick the ravens out," said Lyons.