Innisfil man's 28-foot whale sculpture captivates community
An Innisfil man is keeping tradition alive and making waves in his neighbourhood with his latest snow sculpture creation.
Ken Weichel has been creating massive snow sculptures on his front lawn for more than five years, captivating the community.
His latest creation is a 28-foot-long whale that took over 30 hours to complete and has captured plenty of attention.
Ken Weichel, of Innisfil, Ont., carves a whale out of snow and ice on his front yard on Tues., Feb. 7, 2023. (CTV News/Molly Frommer)
"We did the carving last night. The streets have been busy since 5:30 this morning, with people going by," Weichel said.
He said he creates the whimsical sculptures for his three grandchildren, Austin, Paisley, and Scarlett.
"It's pretty fun because you can go play on it anytime, and I like sliding down it. We get to look at every sculptor every year," Austin said.
"I like the flippers the most," noted Paisley, while Scarlett said she most enjoys the slide.
Ken Weichel's three grandchildren enjoy climbing on the massive whale he created out of snow on his front lawn in Innisfil, Ont. (CTV News/Molly Frommer)
"We have all kinds of kids coming by the neighbourhood to look at it," Weichel said. "School buses drive to stop by and stop, but it's mainly for them [grandkids] to play on it."
He says he hasn't yet decided what next year's sculpture will be, having created ice castles, Olaf, and a tortoise in the past.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.