Yellowknife bear may follow Calgary cow in battle against littering
Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (May 02/01) - A concrete bear could be Yellowknife's newest weapon in the fight against the city's gargantuan garbage problem.
The idea was tossed around at an April 26 at a public anti-litter meeting.
Following the lead of Toronto -- with its fibreglass moose -- and Calgary -- with its cows -- some at the meeting suggested Yellowknife have its own bear mascots scattered around the city as a strategy to fight garbage while boosting civic pride.
Carmen Gobeil, co-chair of the meeting, passed around a photocopied photo of a Calgary cow decked in flower patterns. She said the mascot idea would make an anti-litter campaign fun and give it staying power.
"It has to be fun and beautiful and involve people," said the Ecole St. Joseph schoolteacher.
Most at the meeting agreed the bears should be made from concrete since the material is harder to vandalize. But the exact point of entry for garbage still needs research.
Jordan Martin, a local sculptor, said the Calgary cows cost around $5,000 each to build.
"Something that size is expensive," said Martin.
Martin, said he'd be willing to plug some volunteer hours into sculpting the bears if it ever goes from idea to reality.
"As long as its kept as a civic pride kind of thing," said Martin.
City councillor Dave McCann, co-chair of the meeting, said the concrete bear idea is worth looking into.
"I think it's useful," said McCann.
McCann said the concrete bears would help fight littering and be a tourist draw at the same time.
Great Slave MLA Bill Braden also attended and said he'd be willing to push for a 50-50 cost split with the GNWT and the city to pay for the bears.
"It's a possibility. If some region of the NWT comes up with a good idea it could be done somewhere else," he said, adding, "Every community has a garbage problem."
One representative from the private sector seemed willing to help with costs.
Al Kaylo, owner of the McDonald's franchise, said he'd be willing to sponsor a concrete bear on his property.
"I'm all for it," said Kaylo.
"I'm willing to take care of (the bear)," he said.
Mayor Gord Van Tighem saw some humour in not using Yellowknife's unofficial mascot.
"Our mascot (the raven) takes garbage out of the garbage," said Van Tighem.
A second meeting is scheduled for May 17.
