This iconic 2-tonne CBC Calgary sculpture will soon move to a new home
Steel Wave is 2 tonnes, 5.5 metres tall, 3.6 metres wide and valued at about $250K when installed in 1978
It's been about a year since CBC Calgary moved four kilometres west from its old location just off Memorial Drive N.W.
The building at 1724 Westmount Blvd. N.W. in Hillhurst was sold in the summer to Vancouver-based developer Anthem Properties, which is planning to build an 84-unit, three-storey, multi-family development.
But some curious CBC fans have asked, "What is the fate of the iconic sculpture that sat near the southwest corner of the building for the past four decades?"
The 1978 sculpture — Steel Wave by the late Alberta artist Roy Leadbeater — will move later this month to its new home at an arts centre in Springbank, one the centre's co-founders confirmed.
"It is an outstanding sculpture. In terms of Alberta sculptures, it is one of the better pieces. The imagery is about wings, and abstract wings imply freedom," Harry Kiyooka told The Homestretch.
Kiyooka and his partner, Katie Ohe, founded Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre in 2007. It includes a sculpture park.
"This will be the sixth large public art sculpture on the property. It will be parallel to the driveway onto the property, about 600 feet from the gateway," Kiyooka said.
"We are having a contractor move it, but because of the size and weight of it, the carrier will have to be similar to those that transport houses. It weighs more than two tonnes and it's about 18-feet tall and 12-feet wide. They have to make special provisions to move it."
Kiyooka says he understands Steel Wave was originally valued at about $250,000 and it will join other well-known sculptures at the centre.
- See the sculpture being moved to its new location in the video below:
"There is a famous sculpture called The Bridge by Charles R. (Bob) Boyce. He did that for the 1988 Winter Olympics. He generously donated it to us. Our most valuable and famous sculpture is titled Queen of the Night by world-famous British sculptor named Michael Sandle. He donated it as a gesture of friendship. It's valued at $140,000 and was shipped from Dundee, Scotland."
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With files from The Homestretch.
Clarifications
- This story was modified after publication to add video of the sculpture being moved to its new location.Jul 18, 2019 10:46 AM MT