New Collingwood statue sending message of inclusivity
A new statue in downtown Collingwood is aiming to send a message that everyone is welcome in the community.
On Thursday night 'Dare to Dream,' a statue featuring a rhinoceros with rainbow coloured balloons was officially unveiled. The project is a creation by William Hung, a Toronto-based artist, who was commissioned for the new LGTBQ-themed statue.
“So I wanted to do something optimistic and hopeful to inspire, especially the youth in our community to be proud of who they are," Hung says.
The rhinoceros is a symbol of LGTBQ resistance from the 1970's, says Hung, while each of the balloons represents the same colours of the original Pride flag.
The idea for the statue came from Rainbow Club in Southern Georgian Bay. The club, hurt by recent incidents south of the border targeting LGTBQ members, wanted to be able to send a message that everyone is welcome in Collingwood.
"When the town of Collingwood chose for it to be LGTBQS themed, it really makes a big statement that our municipality, our governance is all in support of our community and there is an economic impact with having LGTBQS visitors who are going to come here because they feel welcomed," says John Miller, the club's president.
Miller brought the idea to make the new statue LGTBQ-themed to the town's council. The new mayor says inclusivity is a key priority.
"You can feel the vibe in town here now and I think when you have a more diverse community you have more things going on and more interesting discussions and things brought to the table," says Hamlin.
You can find the statue in the town down the street from the public library.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.