Mac the Moose

Mac the Moose in its current location, August 2018
Mac the Moose in 2003, prior to being moved and fenced

Mac the Moose is a steel and concrete sculpture of a moose in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. It is located on the grounds of Moose Jaw's visitors' center, on the corner of E Thatcher Drive and the Trans-Canada Highway[1]. Formerly the World's Largest Moose, it is claimed to be North America's largest moose as well as the World's Second Largest Moose at 32 feet (9.8 m) feet tall and a weight of approximately 10 long tons (10,000 kg).[2][3]

History

Mac the Moose was built in 1984, being constructed by Saskatoon artist Don Foulds with the goal of attracting visitors to the city. The construction process involved a steel frame covered with metal mesh and four coats of cement. A contest was held to name the moose, with the name "Mac" being chosen after Les MacKenzie.[1]The giant moose was one of the city's first tourist attractions. The project was completed in May 1984.[4]

In 2004, Mac was moved 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) using a flatbed truck and is now located just off of the Trans-Canada highway next to the Moose Jaw visitors' center. Although Mac has been vandalized many times (once being painted blue and another physical damage was done, including losing his jaw),[2] he still stands, although surrounded by a fence in 2009. In 2013, Mac was honoured by the Moose Jaw Times Herald as Moose Jaw's Best Celebrity.[1]

After 31 years of holding the title of the world's largest moose, in 2015 Mac the Moose was surpassed by another moose statue in Oslo, Norway called The Big Elk (moose are often called elk in Europe)[5]. The Big Elk deliberately stands 30 centimetres (12 in) taller. In an interview with Global News on the subject, Moose Jaw's mayor Deb Higgins wasn't bothered, stating that "I think we’ve won the battle, first and foremost that Mac’s reputation has spread to Norway and beyond." Subsequently, Mac the Moose now holds the title as North America's Largest moose[3], with Tourism Moose Jaw referring to it as the World's Second Largest Moose[1].

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "MAC the Moose & the Snowbird Tutor Jet". Toursim Moose Jaw. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Vandals target 'Mac" the moose". Canadian Broadcasting Company. September 2, 2001. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  3. 1 2 Raquel, Fletcher. "Mac the Moose has Norwegian Rival". Global News. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  4. ↑ "Moose Jaw's moose gets its jaw back". Canadian Broadcasting Company. August 8, 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  5. ↑ "World's biggest elk statue arrives in Oslo". The Local No. Retrieved 8 August 2018.

Coordinates: 50°24′47″N 105°30′37″W / 50.41312°N 105.51015°W / 50.41312; -105.51015

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