Three people yanked a cartoonish purple dinosaur statue, part of a four-month-old art installation, off the sidewalk in late June.
The dinosaur crime saga came as Ottawans were squawking about a new National Capital Commission art installation made of torn-up tires. But is Ottawa really cornering the market on the country's zaniest public art — or the most unusual reactions to it? The arachnid's creator, artist Junko Playtime, went on a social-media campaign to "help save spidey!"In April, Vancouver Coun. Peter Meiszner, who was interviewed by the BBC about the spider controversy, announced the city would leave the artwork called "Phobia" in place temporarily. A 26-year-old man got trapped in Edmonton's Talus Dome after climbing the display and falling through an opening in April.
The art piece was installed in 2019 outside — you guessed it — a Toronto condo building on St. Clair West Avenue. A sign in front of the sculpture reading "please do not climb on the wave" is often disregarded, with kids climbing the waterfront sculpture and sliding back down its smooth surface.