'A complete overhaul': Iconic Transcona statue taken down to get a facelift
A popular landmark that welcomes people into the Transcona neighbourhood is getting a complete restoration.
The 'Hi Neighbour Sam' statue that has stood in the neighbourhood for years, has been taken down from his perch on Regent Avenue.
Ray Ulasy, chair of Transcona Hi Neighbour Festival Inc., said Sam was removed on Sunday.
“He’s getting a complete overhaul, aesthetically and structurally as well,” Ulasy said.
John Henry Creations Inc. is leading the restoration of the statue, which has stood in Transcona for 53 years
Matthew Friesen with John Henry Creations said the statue is in need of significant repairs including fresh paint, repairs to the cane and hand, and some other structural repairs.
“We just need to smooth him out, give him a bit of a facelift,” Friesen said.
Ulasy said Sam will return to its perch in May, before the Transcona Hi Neighbour Festival, which occurs the first weekend of June.
The restoration will cost approximately $15,000, which includes sponsorships and donations from the community and a $6,000 grant from the City of Winnipeg.
Ulasy said Sam is an important part of Transcona and makes the community special.
“Sam captures what the spirit of the community is really all about,” Ulasy said. “Welcoming, inviting, and friendly, and I think Sam represents that. When you drive into Transcona, that’s the first thing you see, Sam on his perch, and he’s waving to the community.”
-With files from CTV’s Danton Unger and Kenneth Gabel
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they're now named Scouting America
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca