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Lucknow has a new tourist attraction.

The life-size statue of strong-man Donald Dinnie was unveiled Saturday morning at the corner of Campbell and Inglis Streets, where the post office used to be.

Over the past four months, local metal-smith William Dickie created the sculpture of the village's mascot and was thrilled to see such a large crowd on hand for its first public viewing.

He said the idea actually began a year ago when Delores Sokoloski of the Lucknow Beautification Committee called him and asked if he had thought of doing a sculpture for Lucknow. The committee had some money left over from the 2008 reunion and wanted to spend it on something special for the village.

Dickie, a Bruce Power worker, had done the Studio C sign for his daughter, Karissa, and had seen how he could alter the shape of metal tubing. So, he thought he'd like to try something with wire.

The statue contains 1,500 feet of three-sixteenths wire, as well as copper for the kilt and tam, and other metals, such as brass and stainless steel.

"It's going to age, like fine wine," he said, "and it'll change in colour."

Dickie chose to do the sculpture life-size so it stands 6'6", and he used his son, Shea, as a model, along with original pictures of Dinnie which showed his body measurements. He also put Dinnie in a posed position - getting ready to throw a stone - rather than just standing like a plain statue.

"I built the skeleton first and then started putting metal on it," said Dickie.

Metal-smith William Dickie stands with the statue before it is unveiled

He and his wife, Irene, live in the "hills of Kinloss," on the Dickie family farm on picturesque Grey Ox Avenue, just north of Lucknow. The huge stone on which the Dinnie statue sits, and the two smaller stones used in the artwork, all came from that farm.

Besides their son and daughter and her husband, Scott Chow, the Dickies have two granddaughters, Lachlan and Ever Chow, all of Lucknow.

William and Irene Dickie with their granddaughters, Ever, one-and-a-half, and Lachlan Chow, 3

Dickie thanked his family for their support throughout the four months it took to create the sculpture. He also thanked everyone who donated metal and helped him in any way. "I'm very pleased with the result," he said.

While making the statue, Dickie discovered he actually has a connection to the Caledonia Games in which Dinnie performed and for which he became a folk hero for Lucknow.

Dickie's great-uncle, Tom Ross, competed in the Caledonia Games in 1889 and 1890 and won a couple of medals, which Dickie proudly wore at the unveiling ceremony.

Catherine Andrew, 96, of Lucknow, with help from her son, Donald Andrew, removed the tartan from the covering on the statue. "I'm proud to be part of this," she said.

Joan Chamney, Dickie and Mary McIntosh then removed the covering so everyone could see the marvellously-crafted sculpture.

Huron-Kinloss mayor Mitch Twolan thanked the beautification committee for all its hard work and thanked Dickie for providing this amazing piece of art.

Gwenie Campbell checks out the history of the Donald Dinnie statue prior to it being unveiled



Catherine Andrew removes the tartan from the statue



Mary McIntosh (L), William Dickie and Joan Chamney officially unveil the sculpture



The sculpture of Donald Dinnie

"We should all be very proud it," he said, "and hopefully people will stop to have their picture taken beside it."

Born in 1837 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Dinnie was one of the first sports superstars of modern times. He won more than 10,000 competitions and toured America with the Caledonia Circuit in the 1870s, competing in Highland Games.

In late 1882, he competed in the Caledonia Games in Lucknow and since that time has become an icon for the community. His likeness can be seen on signage for the village and he has become somewhat of an ambassador or mascot.

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Saturday, July 24, 2010