Brit dressed as giant bird walks 85 km in support of endangered curlew
This one is for the birds.
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A bird enthusiast recently walked 85 km dressed in a homemade bird costume to raise awareness for one of Great Britain's most iconic and threatened birds.
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Matt Trevelyan, 46, made the trek dressed as his favourite winged species – the Eurasian curlew – which is endangered in the United Kingdom.
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The elaborate costume was three yards long and was made out of split bamboo, muslin and polystyrene.
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Trevelyan, a Farming in Protected Landscapes officer, walked with friends and family around the Nidderdale Way route in the Yorkshire Dales in support of conservation projects.
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'They have such a beautiful song — it pulls at your heart strings — it was great to hear it whilst walking the awareness-raising adventure.'
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The bird lover finished the walk over the Saturday and Sunday of Easter weekend ahead of World Curlew Day on April 21.
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The day was created in 2017 by Mary Colwell to raise awareness of the declining numbers of curlews and the issues they face because of habitat loss, land-use changes and climate pressures.
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The walker covered 40 km on the first day, including a 22.5-km trek, before stopping for lunch and then going another 17 km. On Day 2, he walked and occasionally ran the remaining 45 km.
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'The walk was a joy — there were beautiful views and the weather was perfect,' Trevelyan said.
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'I underestimated how fast I could walk, meaning I was trundling along for a solid 12 hours a day.
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CBC
29-07-2025
- CBC
What happened to Toronto's 326 moose statues? A look back at the art project, 25 years later
As people around the world welcomed a new millennium, Torontonians in the year 2000 were welcoming something even bigger — a herd of hundreds of life-size moose statues. Twenty-five years ago, Toronto launched its Moose in the City campaign, a project featuring 326 colourful moose statues decorated by artists and placed all over the city in an effort to usher in the new year with a boost for local tourism and art sectors. The project came at no cost to the city, according to council minutes from April 2000, and the statues were sponsored by various companies. The public could stumble upon the hoofed, herbivore masterpieces at locations including the CN Tower, Pearson Airport and city hall. Some of the artists involved say the project was emblematic of the city's culture and shows how municipalities can step up to support the art scene — even as some of the famed sculpted creatures have disappeared in the years since. Moose in the City was a "great collaboration with the city" for artists, said Kelly Borgers, who was commissioned to do three of the statues. There was even a launch party for the project, with music and a sculpture parade. "All the moose were all together. We pushed them on wheels down the street like a stampede," she recalled. Project symbolized fun in the city: artist Borgers said she produced three statues: Park Moose, Driving Moose Daisy and Florence Moosingale. She's not sure what happened to the first two — decorated with nature scenes and granny glasses, respectively — but Florence lives in the city's midtown outside the headquarters of a home care agency. WATCH | New exhibit at Toronto Reference Library showcasing city's history through postcards: How Toronto's history is being celebrated through vintage postcards 3 months ago Lee Grunberg, the president and CEO of Integracare, said Florence used to get Valentine's Day cards addressed from another moose that's perched on the roof of a house in nearby Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. "The people that bought these moose, they love the camaraderie of owning these moose," Grunberg said. Borgers likes to drive by and see Florence once in a while, she said, and knowing her art is still out there 25 years later brings her joy. "She's always dressed up in all different costumes, for Valentine's Day, for Easter, for Christmas, for Canada Day," Borgers said with a laugh. "It's awesome. I'm proud of my moose. She has a better wardrobe than I have." Borgers said the project was symbolic of the fun to be had in the city, and it "lightened things up." "I just think it had a good sense of humour, that was nice," she said. "Nobody saw moose and frowned." Lindsay Davies, who is based in Aurora, Ont., said the project gave her and other artists a chance to "show their thing." Davies was commissioned by Belinda Stronach, daughter of billionaire Frank Stronach, to paint a moose statue to look like former Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Curtis Joseph. The statue was complete with a jersey, hockey socks and a detailed goalie mask covering the moose's snout. It was placed in front of the Hockey Hall of Fame. "I just felt totally honoured and absolutely thrilled where it ended up downtown on Front Street," said Davies. Alleged antler thefts reported at the time Despite reports at the time of moose vandalism — including alleged antler thefts — Davies said she'd love to see the city do a similar project again, especially given the participants' diverse art styles. "It's just wonderful, and it's very inspirational," said Davies. "I think the public in general really benefits from something like that." Davies said her moose was auctioned for $25,000 that went to charity shortly after the project. Though she said she doesn't know where Curtis Joseph Moose is today, she theorizes he's somewhere in Little Britain, Ont., after a local bakery took ownership years ago. Toronto-based artist Teri Donovan said George Cohon, the founder of McDonald's Canada, brought up the public art idea with then-mayor Mel Lastman, who became very interested in the project and stood behind it. Donovan said she got involved after a friend sent her a brochure about the campaign and she ended up creating two sculptures: the Bay Street Moose and the Strawberry Moose with Whipped Cream. "It was really an interesting thing to do. It had its challenges, of course, but in the end, it was a lot of fun," she said. She isn't sure about the fate of her two moose, although she discovered through online research that the Bay Street sculpture was missing. Some moose were auctioned off for charity There were controversies surrounding the project, she recalled. The quality of some sculptures was not very good, she said, and critics complained that the statues were not actually art. "But it wasn't supposed to be high art, it was supposed to be a fun project for the city," she said. Donovan remembers her neighbours and their kids routinely checking on the progress of one of her moose creations as she painted it in her driveway. "I live in a quiet neighbourhood in the east end of Toronto and there isn't a lot of that kind of thing that happens here," she said. Donovan said Moose in the City was a draw for tourists and it also helped raise money for charities as some of the moose were auctioned off. Laurel Brooks still has the moose her family purchased at auction and moved to their Muskoka cottage, where it stayed until 2012. She said her daughter and ex-husband initially wanted to get Tourist Moose, with a hat and a camera around her neck, but the bidding for that one was "pretty competitive." They ended up getting a moose built by Toronto District School Board students, she said. After separating from her ex-husband, Brooks brought the moose back to Toronto where it now sits on an elevated platform in her backyard. The sculpture, too big to fit through the garage or the side of the house, had to be hoisted and moved with ropes, she said. It's made of paper-mache, with layers coming off over the years, and has been repainted with red flowers that look like poppies. "I just really liked it," Brooks said with a laugh when asked if the hustle of moving the moose back and forth was worth it. "It's just a cool thing to have."
Winnipeg Free Press
29-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
When moose took over Toronto: Artists reflect on city art project, 25 years later
As people around the world welcomed a new millennium, Torontonians in the year 2000 were welcoming something even bigger – a herd of hundreds of life-size moose statues. Twenty-five years ago, Toronto launched its Moose in the City campaign, a project featuring 326 colourful moose statues decorated by artists and placed all over the city in an effort to usher in the new year with a boost for local tourism and art sectors. The project came at no cost to the city, according to council minutes from April 2000, and the statues were sponsored by various companies. The public could stumble upon the hoofed, herbivore masterpieces at locations including the CN Tower, Pearson Airport and city hall. Some of the artists involved say the project was emblematic of the city's culture and shows how municipalities can step up to support the art scene — even as some of the famed sculpted creatures have disappeared in the years since. Moose in the City was a 'great collaboration with the city' for artists, said Kelly Borgers, who was commissioned to do three of the statues. There was even a launch party for the project, with music and a sculpture parade. 'All the moose were all together. We pushed them on wheels down the street like a stampede,' she recalled. Borgers said she produced three statues: Park Moose, Driving Moose Daisy and Florence Moosingale. She's not sure what happened to the first two – decorated with nature scenes and granny glasses, respectively – but Florence lives in the city's midtown outside the headquarters of a home care agency. Lee Grunberg, the president and CEO of Integracare, said Florence used to get Valentine's Day cards addressed from another moose that's perched on the roof of a house in nearby Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. 'The people that bought these moose, they love the camaraderie of owning these moose,' Grunberg said. Borgers likes to drive by and see Florence once in a while, she said, and knowing her art is still out there 25 years later brings her joy. 'She's always dressed up in all different costumes, for Valentine's Day, for Easter, for Christmas, for Canada Day,' Borgers said with a laugh. 'It's awesome. I'm proud of my moose. She has a better wardrobe than I have.' Borgers said the project was symbolic of the fun to be had in the city, and it 'lightened things up.' 'I just think it had a good sense of humour, that was nice,' she said. 'Nobody saw moose and frowned.' Lindsay Davies, who is based in Aurora, Ont., said the project gave her and other artists a chance to 'show their thing.' Davies was commissioned by Belinda Stronach, daughter of billionaire businessman Frank Stronach, to paint a moose statue to look like former Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Curtis Joseph. The statue was complete with a jersey, hockey socks and a detailed goalie mask covering the moose's snout. It was placed in front of the Hockey Hall of Fame. 'I just felt totally honoured and absolutely thrilled where it ended up downtown on Front Street,' said Davies. Despite reports at the time of moose vandalism — including alleged antler thefts — Davies said she'd love to see the city do a similar project again, especially given the participants' diverse art styles. 'It's just wonderful, and it's very inspirational,' said Davies. 'I think the public in general really benefits from something like that.' Davies said her moose was auctioned for $25,000 that went to charity shortly after the project. Though she said she doesn't know where Curtis Joseph Moose is today, she theorizes he's somewhere in Little Britain, Ont., after a local bakery took ownership years ago. Toronto-based artist Teri Donovan said George Cohon, the founder of McDonald's Canada, brought up the public art idea with then-mayor Mel Lastman, who became very interested in the project and stood behind it. Donovan said she got involved after a friend sent her a brochure about the campaign and she ended up creating two sculptures: the Bay Street Moose and the Strawberry Moose with Whipped Cream. 'It was really an interesting thing to do. It had its challenges, of course, but in the end, it was a lot of fun,' she said. She isn't sure about the fate of her two moose, although she discovered through online research that the Bay Street sculpture was missing. There were controversies surrounding the project, she recalled. The quality of some sculptures was not very good, she said, and critics complained that the statues were not actually art. 'But it wasn't supposed to be high art, it was supposed to be a fun project for the city,' she said. Donovan remembers her neighbours and their kids routinely checking on the progress of one of her moose creations as she painted it in her driveway. 'I live in a quiet neighbourhood in the east end of Toronto and there isn't a lot of that kind of thing that happens here,' she said. Donovan said Moose in the City was a draw for tourists and it also helped raise money for charities as some of the moose were auctioned off. Laurel Brooks still has the moose her family purchased at auction and moved to their Muskoka cottage, where it stayed until 2012. She said her daughter and ex-husband initially wanted to get Tourist Moose, with a hat and a camera around her neck, but the bidding for that one was 'pretty competitive.' They ended up getting a moose built by Toronto District School Board students, she said. After separating from her ex-husband, Brooks brought the moose back to Toronto where it now sits on an elevated platform in her backyard. The sculpture, too big to fit through the garage or the side of the house, had to be hoisted and moved with ropes, she said. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. It's made of paper-mache, with layers coming off over the years, and has been repainted with red flowers that look like poppies. 'I just really liked it,' Brooks said with a laugh when asked if the hustle of moving the moose back and forth was worth it. 'It's just a cool thing to have.' — With files from Fatima Raza. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2025.
The Province
09-07-2025
- The Province
Stanley Park train will stay closed for the rest of 2025
The future of the popular ride is unclear as the park board explores other business models for the site The future of the 60-year-old Stanley Park train is murky as the park board explores alternative business models for the site. Photo by Jason Payne / PNG The train in Stanley Park will stay off the rails for the rest of the year, and its future could be in jeopardy as the Vancouver Park Board explores alternative business models for the site. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The popular Vancouver attraction was abruptly pulled out of service last Christmas after a train operator fell ill from exhaust fumes. It didn't return for this year's Easter season, and now won't be back for the summer or for the 'Ghost Train' events during Halloween or 'Bright Nights' in December. 'The ongoing safety risk and timeline to implement potential upgrades has forced the difficult decision to keep the train offline for the remainder of the 2025 operating season,' said John Brodie, the park board's director of business services, in a presentation to commissioners on Monday. According to a staff report, the train has been operating in the red in recent years, costing the park board nearly $3 million since 2019, its last full year of reliable operations. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The train is estimated to record a loss this year of nearly $700,000, the latest in a series of woes that started in 2020 when the 60-year-old attraction was sidelined due to the COVID pandemic. In 2021, a rash of coyote attacks forced the closure of the miniature train for most of the year, and it failed a safety inspection in 2022. In 2023, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim announced the train would return for the holiday season with the help of several private donations. But even after it resumed operations, ticketing issues and long virtual queues drew a public outcry, prompting an apology last Christmas from the park board. The financial cost and the hit to the park board and city's reputation has prompted staff to review potential new business models for the site, aligning with its Think Big strategy of seeking new revenue streams to support the city's park and recreation system. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We know that there is a lot of interest in the market for business opportunities within Stanley Park,' Brodie told the park board. 'We've received a variety of business proposals for partnership opportunities over the past five years (at the Stanley Park train site).' He did not provide specifics, saying only that the proposals include a variety of concepts that are different from the status quo. A new business model could potentially provide a re-imagined attraction that would draw a broader range of visitors, appeal to tourists, provide an opportunity to engage with the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, and provide a more reliable revenue stream, he said. The report said a third-party partnership could draw up to 400,000 visitors — significantly higher than the current 150,000 visitors who come for the Stanley Park train. Ticket prices would be higher for a different attraction compared to the train, but it would cost taxpayers less in capital costs. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Maintaining the status quo provides the lowest financial return of the business models evaluated. Upgrading the train, tracks and facilities would cost about $8 million in capital investment, said the report. Park board staff plan to engage with First Nations on potential opportunities and will issue a formal call for requests for expressions of interest later this year. It will report to the board early next year with its findings. Some commissioners questioned the accessibility and affordability of a third-party attraction, and asked park board on how it plans to engage the public over the future of the beloved attraction. Brodie said staff are aware of the train's local popularity and young families, and said staff are committed to making sure the public's voice is heard. chchan@ Read More Vancouver Whitecaps Crime Life News News
