Four storeys high on the hog in Fairview & Edm has a bat

[DebraW]

Four storeys high on the hog

Fairview plans giant motorcycle in tribute to mechanic training at town's NAIT campus

Jeff Holubitsky, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Monday, January 22, 2007

Glendon has its perogy, Mundare its kubasa, Vegreville its egg.

Note: Edmonton has a giant bat! Good or bad?

But when it comes to cool in the realm of biggest roadside attractions, Fairview may soon win the race.

The town of about 3,150, 124 kilometres north of Grande Prairie, has kick-started a plan to build a giant motorcycle up to four storeys high to draw attention to its status as a leading training ground for mechanics.

We'd like to get going on it this summer," Mayor Rick Nicholson said Sunday. "It will probably boil down to whether we can get some industry partners to help with the cost." Though planning is still in its infancy, he said Fairview's council appears to be in favour of the project, which would draw attention to the motorcycle programs offered at NAIT's Fairview campus. The cost is expected to be between $100,000 and $140,000 for the statue itself and up to $60,000 more for landscaping, lighting and moving a visitors centre to the site.

The school offers Canada's only program to train Harley-Davidson mechanics, as well as certificate and apprenticeship programs for those who work on other makes.

Motorcycle companies will be asked to help come up with the money for the promotional project.

"But this is all brand new and we haven't even approached them about it," Nicholson said.

"I guess if Harley wanted to be the major partner in it, it would be Harley specific, but there are a lot of other motorcycles courses given here and other people involved, so it could be a generic motorcycle." "I guess if Harley wanted to be the major partner in it, it would be Harley specific, but there are a lot of other motorcycles courses given here and other people involved, so it could be a generic motorcycle." Nicholson said he has only received one complaint about the idea since council went public with it last week -- from someone who thinks the symbol should represent the more traditional agriculture, forestry or oil industries in that corner of the province.

No site has been chosen, although a plot of land near the centre of town has been considered.

"But we're not just doing this because we want to put something large up and a motorcycle came to mind," he said. "NAIT's Fairview campus has quite an extensive motorcycle program and it ties in with them." The campus, which also offers other courses, is Fairview's largest employer and means a lot to the community's economy, the mayor said.

Wally Besler, assistant head of the Harley training program, said Fairview is the motorcycle training capital of Canada, with about 200 students taking the flagship Harley courses this year and another 170 apprenticing as general motorcycle mechanics.

"I think the town is fairly proud of it and it shows by them wanting to put up that motorcycle," Besler said.

"I think if they do build this giant motorcycle it will help our pro- grams." The town has already approached a Calgary-based company called Studio Y Creations about constructing the vintage-looking motorcycle from Styrofoam covered in a durable weatherproof polyurethane.

Studio Y officials could not be reached. The company previously built the world's largest wagon wheel and pickaxe at Fort Assiniboine, northwest of Edmonton.

If Fairview council gives the project the green light, town manager Lloyd Johnston said the giant motorcycle would likely be finished by the summer of 2008.

"There's a pile of Americans who travel up this way heading to Alaska and that might bring them through this way as well," he said.

jholubitsky@thejournal.canwest.com

--30--

[LindseyT]

I think Mitchell South Dakota has had the title of "worlds largest corn palace" for way to long. Lets show them a real corn palace.

[RichardS]

The problem with 99.99% of the World's Biggest everyday object pieces is that they look like overblown, tacky worlds biggest pieces of whatever.

Trying to be the world's biggest vs growing into it are 2 different things. Not that Fairview shouldn't pursue what it wants, but jstu be aware that too many of these tacky things in places leaves people going "huh?"

[grish]

i voted yes:

we should build the biggest pride in what we have.

I know, sounds childish. I could have said biggest high speed rail line, but it might interfere with us reaching 1000 members due to several heart attacks or breakdowns. RS, you still there?

[DebraW]

Originally Posted by grish

i voted yes:

we should build the biggest pride in what we have.

I know, sounds childish. I could have said biggest high speed rail line, but it might interfere with us reaching 1000 members due to several heart attacks or breakdowns. RS, you still there?

^ good one(s).

[Sonic Death Monkey]

I wouldn't put it past this city to erect the world's largest green onion cake.

[RichardS]

Still here...and laughing...

[Dusty Bear]

No. World's largest thingamajigs are so small town.

On a related note, ever notice how Mundare's giant sausage looks more like a giant dog crap?

[kcantor]

Originally Posted by Dusty Bear

No. World's largest thingamajigs are so small town.

I voted no despite agreeing with djgirl's sentiment that we should be proudest of what we already have.

Among many other things I could list, I think the "world's longest/highest single span suspension bridge" taking us from "top of bank to top of bank" would be a pretty good road-side - as well as on-road - attraction for Edmonton.

Ken

[m0nkyman]

[color=red][size=7]MALL[/size][/color]

:P

[TJ]

I think we are great without building the largest ball of string or tin foil or whatever.

I would like Edmonton to stop talking about such relatively trivial matters and deal with issues such as the crumbling infrastructure and lack of city services.