The giant roadside attractions across Manitoba
It’s 1998.
Google was just born, and dial-up was the primary way to connect to the Internet. New sites were being developed daily on any number of topics, from recipes to shopping.
David Yanciw, however, was thinking big - big things, that is.
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Winnipeg newsletters
That year, the Saskatoon resident created 'Big Things of Canada' to catalog the large roadside attractions in towns across the Prairies. A road trip he took from Saskatoon to Edmonton inspired the site.
"A friend who lived in Edmonton mentioned the Glendon perogy on a fork, so we said we'd go take a look at that," he said, “We also stopped in St. Paul, which has the UFO landing pad.”
The pair took more road trips together in other provinces where they looked for local “big things.”
“We weren't in any hurry on our road trips,” he said, “So we went and looked for the ones in northwest Alberta."
The giant perogy in Glendon, Alberta is photographed in an undated image (BigThings.ca)The trips gave Yanciw the idea for the “Big Things” website. He taught himself HTML and hand-coding—after all, it was 1998—from a book he borrowed from the library.
What started as a slight mockery of the practice soon changed as he researched and visited communities, where he discovered passion, pride, and community spirit.
The site began to resonate with his newfound online audience as well.
People printed off lists of attractions for their road trips, and he connected with the artists who designed the giant monuments.
"I just created this fun website that was more for my education and entertainment,” Yanciw said, “Then I realized I became part of a community."
David Yanciw, creator of BigThings.ca, poses for a photo outside Happy Rock in Gladstone, Manitoba in June 2024. (David Yanciw)
In Manitoba, the featured attractions include Happy Rock in Gladstone, a popular tourist site since 1993 and one of Yanciw’s favourites, which he recently visited on a road trip, and Gilbert the Golf Ball in Gilbert Plains.
"It's a golf ball with legs, holding hockey skates and a hockey stick, having a curling tam on it - just not what you expected," he said. "And there's a great fun in this."
Gilbert the Golf Ball in Gilbert Plains, Man. (David Yanciw/BigThings.ca)
Selkirk is also on the site for its Chuck the Channel Cat statue, built in 1986. Named after local fisherman Chuck Norquay, the statue pays tribute to the abundant catfishing in the nearby lakes and rivers.
Duane Nichol, CAO for the City of Selkirk, said the statue has benefited the city by helping promote tourism outside of it and a sense of belonging inside of it.
"It gives people a sense of place and home, and when you see it, you just know that it's about Selkirk," he said.
Last month, the statue received a new coat of paint and cosmetic repairs to ensure it stays vibrant for decades.
Chuck the Channel Cat in Selkirk, Manitoba in September 2024. (City of Selkirk)
Another attraction is Arborg's giant curling stone. It was built in 2005, years after Yanciw's site was launched.
Tom Chwaliboga, the recreation manager with the Town of Arborg, said the statue pays tribute to the high school provincial curling champions for the 1947-48 and 1948-49 seasons.
Chwaliboga said it is a popular spot for visitors, noting he sees people taking pictures and selfies at the stone almost daily.
"At the end of the day, it's kind of neat that people with different license plates pull into the parking lot at the rec center and make Arborg a little stop among their travels," he said.
The World's Largest Curling Rock is located outside the curling rink and recreation centre in Arborg, Man. (Town of Arborg)
Although Yanciw no longer owns the website, it is still live on the Internet, allowing visitors to keep learning about big attractions in Manitoba.
"That made me extremely happy because I was definitely then part of something," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'There is no electricity': Canadian travellers in Cuba urge caution in hurricane's wake
Cuba's power grid was knocked out by Hurricane Rafael, which ripped across the country as a Category 3 storm. In western Cuba, it toppled buildings and pushed 50,000 people to find shelter elsewhere. Cubans were already enduring rolling blackouts due to energy shortages.
Sparks fly as MPs question minister on pension implications of proposed election date change
Sparks flew at a parliamentary committee Thursday as MPs questioned Canada's democratic institutions minister about a widely opposed provision in electoral reform legislation that seeks to delay the next fixed election date by one week.
Three charged in One Direction singer Liam Payne's death
Three people have been charged in relation to One Direction singer Liam Payne's death in a fall from his Buenos Aires hotel balcony last month, Argentine authorities said on Thursday.
RCMP already 'on high alert' for potential wave of migrants after Trump election
Canada's federal police force has been preparing for months on a contingency plan for a potential massive influx of migrants across the border following Trump's promise of 'mass deportations' of millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
'There was no stopping this baby from coming': Woman gives birth while aboard Newfoundland ferry
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
Volkswagen models recalled for airbag safety precaution
Recall notices have been issued for some Volkswagen models from 2006 to 2019 for airbag safety issues.
America votes: How celebrities are reacting to Trump's decisive victory
Celebrities from Hulk Hogan to Ariana Grande are sharing their reactions to the U.S. election, which will see Donald Trump return to the White House.
3 Winnipeg police officers charged with breach of trust, theft
Three members of the Winnipeg Police Service have been charged with breach of trust, obstruction of justice and theft following a lengthy investigation
Canadian arrested in Florida for allegedly possessing child sex abuse content
A 25-year-old Canadian man was arrested in Florida last weekend after police say he was caught with child sex abuse content.