Bye, neighbour, for now

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This article was published 06/12/2021 (1396 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Transcona’s long-standing mascot, Hi Neighbour Sam, is taking time off for some much-needed repairs.

“Sam represents, I think, what Transcona is really about: the people of Transcona, the community,” said Ray Ulasy, chairman of Transcona Hi Neighbour Festival Inc. “That’s the first thing you see when you drive into Transcona: there’s Hi Neighbour Sam, our statue, waving.”

The 53-year-old statue embodies the east Winnipeg area’s friendly and inviting nature, but has looked increasingly worse for wear over the last decade, Ulasy said.

Sam’s paint is worn and cracked, and its wooden base has all but rotted away. Brown streaks have stained the left arm, indicating moisture has penetrated the fibreglass shell and may be causing its metal frame to rust.

Restoration requires more than a coat of paint, Ulasy said.

Festival officials began exploring a refurbishment in 2017, with initial repair estimates exceeding $20,000. The price was too steep, so the organization kept looking, Ulasy said.

Eventually, it connected with John Henry Creations Inc., a local business specializing in statue restoration. John Henry is still assessing damage and can’t say what it will cost but estimates it will come in under $20,000, said Matthew Friesen, the man behind the upcoming repair.

“Just kind of still chipping away at different spots to kind of see what’s going to have to be done,” Friesen said. “Once we know, he is going to get a nice polyurethane finish and then some paint to bring him back to his former glory.”

The restoration budget is around $15,000. The non-profit organization raised the money from donations, business sponsorships, and a $6,000 grant from the City of Winnipeg, Ulasy said.

“(The city) was more than willing to support this undertaking,” said Coun. Shawn Nason (Transcona). “(Sam) is just part of our identity, and I look forward to this restoration.”

On Sunday, Friesen removed the statue from its post on Regent Avenue West.

“When he took it down, it seemed to be structurally in pretty good shape,” Ulasy said. “There will be some stuff they want to change up and fix, but I think the real focus is on how poor (it) looks right now.”

The statue is expected back at its post by May 1, in time for the Hi Neighbour Festival, which typically happens the first week of June.

Transcona residents can expect the same old Sam upon its return. Although the intention is to soften its complexion by replacing the stark white paint with something closer to the original flesh colour, Friesen said.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca