Vancouver’s Olympic Inuksuk sold — mystery buyer to pay for shipping

JOHN COLEBOURN
Postmedia News

VANCOUVER — The inuksuk from the 2010 Winter Olympics sits in an empty Vancouver lot, covered in bird droppings.

Since the Olympics, the 2.6-tonne, eight-piece, fibre-reinforced mortar-concrete with Styrofoam core, Inuit-themed statue has been on the auction block.

But there were no takers, so it has remained in the middle of a giant empty lot west of the former athletes’ village.

The inuksuk has been listed on the city’s surplus-goods website since last February.

Just last week, negotiations concluded and the inuksuk will be taken off to a new home in the upcoming weeks.

“A buyer has come forward,” said City of Vancouver spokeswoman Wendy Stewart. “Right now we are unable to say the price. The piece sold this past week and we are not able to give out any details.”

Stewart did say the statue will remain in the Greater Vancouver area.

After the Olympics, no one wanted to take it home as a souvenir.

The statue was given to the city at the conclusion of the Games. Its current site is where Olympic organizers VANOC had its parking lot for the Olympic Village during the Winter Games.

“The statue has no heritage value for retention by the city or any of the Olympic partners,” says the city website.

“Due to intentions of this item being temporary, discussion has occurred on whether the piece may be successfully removed intact or may have to be destroyed at site.”

Moving the piece will be up to the new owner. “The city cannot provide advice as to removal other than a crane truck with professional trained staff will be required,” says the website.

Stewart said at about three metres in height, the new owner may have to take it apart to move it.

“It is obviously very heavy and it can be taken apart in pieces,” she said.

People walking by the Inuksuk had different thoughts on where it should go. “I always thought it would be included in something in the landscaping down here,” said area resident Trisha Fillery, who was walking nearby with her two dogs Saturday afternoon.

Marc Kosak, 33, a tourist from Austria, said the inuksuk, once washed, would be a good piece to put in a public place. “Put it in a park,” he said.

William Turcotte, 38, of Vancouver said it is unfortunate the city is selling the statue. “It should be kept in Vancouver and put in a public area like a park,” he said.

“It brings back the Olympic memories when I see it.”