inSide Drumheller has an inside look at the new dinosaur which will be placed in the very near future in downtown Drumheller.
The Drumheller DinoArt Project set a goal last year to begin adding new dinosaur sculptures to the town, and refurbishing the existing models that have made the town famous.
The final touches are being put on its latest installation.
John Shoff, president of the DinoArt Project describes Theropod sitting on a bench in downtown Drumheller. They have gone away from the realistic look to a playful cartoon-like style. He is impressed with the small details, including the sundial watch, bouquet and bow tie.
The dinosaur will be installed at the corner of 3rd Avenue and Centre Street near Gus’s Corner Restaurant. He is sure to be a favourite for residents and visitors alike and will possibly end up in hundreds of photos commemorating a visit to the valley.
The DinoArts Project received a donation of a bust of a T-Rex from the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Originally they were looking at placing the bust near the three way stop at the south end of Centre Street, however Shoff said there were a few issues with being able to mount it in such a way that it would be out of harm’s way from climbers and potential vandalism. They have made arrangements to instead install the bust inside the Badlands Community Facility.
“It will be a much nicer location,” said Shoff.
These endeavours have kept the committee busy, however as the warmer weather sets in, the pace picks up even more.
Shoff said they are making an inventory of the dinosaurs, and their condition to see how many need repairs or refinishing. Already volunteers armed with paint brushes have been busy this spring. One dino on North Dinosaur Trail has been repainted with a Flintstone-like motif.
As they near completion of their inital projects, Shoff says the committee is looking at stepping up its fundraising efforts.
“We haven’t done a whole lot of fundraising this year, we wanted to get last year’s project installed and then be able to show people what it is going towards rather than trying to raise money with nothing to show for it,” he said.
For more information on the project or to get involved, or even submit a name for the new dino call 403-823-2983.