56-tonne Spirit of Water anchors plaza outside Calgary's newly expanded BMO Centre

CBC

May 23, 2024 at 1:26 p.m.·2 min read

The sculpture anchors the plaza outside Western Canada's largest convention centre, the expanded BMO Centre in Calgary. (CMLC - image credit)

Standing about five storeys high, the Spirit of Water anchors the plaza outside the newly expanded BMO Centre in Stampede Park.

The 56-tonne aquamarine sculpture was officially unveiled Wednesday.

It's the focal point of the plaza outside the convention centre and depicts splashes of water — something Gerry Judah, the artist behind the piece, says is globally and locally significant.

"Spirit of Water embodies the power and vitality of water, symbolizing its dynamic energy and fluidity," he said.

"It also celebrates the ancient glaciers that shaped Alberta, the energy of the Calgary Stampede, and the vital importance of water in First Nations traditions and in our lives today, particularly amid climate change."

A close-up view of the Spirit of Water statue.

A close-up view of the Spirit of Water art installation. (CMLC)

The art installation stands about 21 metres high and 14 metres wide (about 70 by 45 feet).

It was painted with a custom-mixed fluoropolymer blue and is made of 211 vertical steel tubes, which range in diameter from 17 centimetres to 2.1 metres.

The parts were fabricated in the U.K. before being shipped to Calgary for assembly and installation.

The Spirit of Water adds to Stampede Park's 14-piece outdoor public art collection, becoming a new destination for locals and visitors alike.

The Spirit of Water, a massive public art installation outside of the newly-expanded BMO Centre, was officially unveiled on May 22, 2024.

The Spirit of Water, a massive public art installation outside of the newly expanded BMO Centre, was officially unveiled on May 22. (CMLC)

"The awe-inspiring Spirit of Water not only celebrates Calgary's connection to water and reflects the dynamic spirit of our city and its people, but it will also act as a destination for visitors in our community and around the world to gather at Stampede Park," said architect Kerri Souriol, vice-president of park development and major projects for the Stampede.

"We are thrilled to welcome Gerry Judah's Spirit of Water to our growing art collection."

The BMO Centre expansion officially opens June 5 and will be the largest facility of its kind in Western Canada.

CBC
Etobicoke residents plead for help amid rat infestation
A rat infestation is plaguing residents in a south Etobicoke neighbourhood.And they're blaming an impromptu garbage dump set up by residents of a nearby homeless encampment in Mimico's Coronation Park for their new furry neighbours — though a pest control expert and their local councillor say a nearby excavation site is likely contributing to the problem.Regardless, the neighbours are pushing for action from the city that they say is long overdue."There needs to be a massive clean out; there nee
The Canadian Press
A big boost for a climate solution: electricity made from the heat of the Earth
One method of making electricity cleanly to address climate change has been quietly advancing and on Tuesday it hit a milestone.
FTW Outdoors
Rescued bald eagle is huge, but why isn’t its head white?
The young raptor, found with a broken femur near a popular Tennessee lake, underwent surgery Friday.
CBC
Damage at Yukon's Eagle mine site could be 'worst-case scenario,' says local mayor
The mayor of Mayo, Yukon, says a heap leach failure and slide reported Monday at the Eagle gold mine will have a "huge impact" on his community, and the territory as a whole. Mayor Trevor Ellis said he's shocked by the incident which has indefinitely halted operations at the mine."'Catastrophic' would probably be, from what I'm hearing, would probably be a good way to describe it," he said of the incident.Few details about what happened and the extent of the damage at Victoria Gold's mine site h
People
Woman 'Seriously Injured' After Being Mauled by Wolves at Zoo in France
A Paris woman was attacked by Arctic wolves while out for a run at the Thoiry ZooSafari in France and sustained bites to her neck, leg and back
The Canadian Press
Things to know about dangerous rip currents and how swimmers caught in one can escape
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Stinging jellyfish, rays with their whip-like tails and sharks on the hunt are some ocean hazards that might typically worry beachgoers. But rip currents are the greatest danger and account for the most beach rescues every year.
USA TODAY
Video captures shocking moment when worker comes face-to-face with black bear at Tennessee park
The black bear entered a concession stand, coincidentally named "Bear Can," at a mountaintop adventure park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
CNN
‘I had a mountain lion that was following me’: Hiker missing for 10 days describes experience
34-year-old Lukas McClish spent ten days stranded in the Santa Cruz Mountains after he got lost on a hike, relying in part on large volumes of water to survive. McClish was eventually found thanks to a drone from the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office, according to an X post from Cal Fire San Mateo. CNN’s Veronica Miracle has the story.
Canadian Press Videos
New species of arachnid captured on video for first time
The Associated Press has captured footage of a new species of arachnid on camera for the first time. Biologists in southern Spain discovered the new species - the first of its kind to be found in the country in 200 years. Gluvia brunnea belongs to the order solifugae and, although they are sometimes called camel spiders, they're actually a different creature altogether.
The Weather Network
Threat of early Tuesday morning storms looms over southwestern Ontario
Thunderstorms could rumble their way into parts of southwestern Ontario in the early-morning hours on Tuesday, with a chance of some turning severe, so make sure you stay alert and be weather-aware
CBC
Repairs on Calgary's broken feeder main are now complete, but water service not yet restored
Repair work on the five additional "hot spots" of the feeder main that ruptured is now complete, but the full restoration of Calgary's water supply is still days away. Mayor Jyoti Gondek shared the news during her Tuesday afternoon update on the developments of the Bearspaw south feeder main, saying the underground repair work on the pipe has now been completed and the city is hopefully on track to have water service restored before the Calgary Stampede. "That date is still a good guideline," sa
The Weather Network - Video
Damaging wind threats across the 401 corridor
Wind gusts up to 108 km/h have been reported in London. Get the details with meteorologist Tyler Hamilton as this wind surge shifts east.
INSIDER
I explored the ruins of an abandoned zoo on the coast of Florida, and it was completely overrun by nature
Crandon Park Zoo was abandoned after hurricanes ravaged the beach and drowned animals. Today, wildlife like alligators and peacocks live in the park.
The Canadian Press
A potential Trump VP pick backs a controversial CO2 pipeline favored by the Biden White House
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is one of Donald Trump’s most visible and vocal backers, sprinting around the country to drum up support for the former president’s comeback bid while auditioning to be his running mate.
The Canadian Press
Alberta regulator projects 17 per cent growth in oilsands production by 2033
CALGARY — The regulator responsible for overseeing Alberta's oil and gas sector has released a new report projecting the province's oilsands production will grow by more than 17 per cent by 2033.
BBC
First sand martin chicks spotted at nesting site
The chicks are living in an artificial nesting bank which was installed in the reserve last year.
CNN
Wolves attack woman who went jogging in French safari zoo
A woman staying at a French safari zoo was attacked by several wolves on Sunday after she entered the reserved part of the zoo which is “usually only accessible by car,” the zoo’s CEO Christelle Bercheny told journalists.
CBC
Weekend tornado in Deep River, Ont., confirmed
Experts have confirmed a tornado touched down in Deep River, Ont., on the weekend, uprooting trees, causing minor structural damage and even flipping a boat as it blew through town."This was kind of a minor tornado, but still a tornado," said David Sills, executive director of Western University's Northern Tornadoes Project. The project's storm survey team was dispatched to the community 150 kilometres northwest of downtown Ottawa to confirm reports circulating on social media.Sills said the tor
The Conversation
Five environmental issues that should be higher on the election agenda
Sewage pollution, active travel and energy efficiency of buildings are just some of the environmental issues not getting the attention they deserve as the election approaches.
BBC
1 dead, hundreds of homes destroyed in US floods
Elsewhere, tens of millions of Americans are still living under alerts due to a scorching heatwave.

Latest Stories