Brandon Sun - PRINT EDITION
Melita’s 30-foot banana statue sustained heat damage from a nearby fire earlier this year. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)
The Town of Melita will be missing a familiar yellow face for the next few months.
Sunny, the town’s 30-foot banana statue, is on the road to Calgary for repairs after sustaining heat damage from a nearby fire in June.
"The fire was in the recycling building right next to the statue," said Brenda Dell, chair of the Melita and area tourism committee. "Of course the firemen did their very best, but the statue was blistered from the fire."
Dell said the 6,200-pound banana was scheduled to leave town Wednesday night. It is expected that the repair will take two to three months.
"Once they get to Calgary, they’ll … see to what extent the damage is on the inside of the statue," Dell said.
Sunny was unveiled in August 2010, along with Breezy the blue jay, which can be seen in the statue’s right hand.
The bright yellow banana wears a fashionable brown belt with a huge grey buckle that reads "Welcome to the Banana Belt," signifying Melita's reputation for being one of southwestern Manitoba’s warmest locations.
"The response has been amazing," Dell said. "I think that the community has certainly accepted it, now that they’ve seen the … amount of people that pass through and attend Banana Days as a result of the statue arriving … That’s been a success for the third year and growing since we started it."
The statue was built by Heavy Industries in Calgary, creator of other Canadian roadside attractions like the giant beaver in Beaverlodge, Alta.
Dell said it is disappointing to have to take down the banana for repairs, but is optimistic it will be back home soon.
"We thankfully had insurance for that type of thing," she said. "It’s just one of those things, nobody was hurt, and you can’t do a thing about it. It’s unfortunate that it’s got to go to be repaired all the way back to Calgary, but that was the best place … not many people do a repair job like that."
» jaustin@brandonsun.com
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition October 11, 2012
We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high. If you thought it was well written, do the same. If it doesn’t meet your standards, mark it accordingly.
You can also register and/or login to the site and join the conversation by leaving a comment.
Rate it yourself by rolling over the stars and clicking when you reach your desired rating. We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high.
The Brandon Sun does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. Comments are moderated before publication. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Town of Melita will be missing a familiar yellow face for the next few months.
Sunny, the town’s 30-foot banana statue, is on the road to Calgary for repairs after sustaining heat damage from a nearby fire in June.
Already subscribed? Login to view full article.
Not yet a subscriber? Click Here to Signup
The Town of Melita will be missing a familiar yellow face for the next few months.
Sunny, the town’s 30-foot banana statue, is on the road to Calgary for repairs after sustaining heat damage from a nearby fire in June.
A subscription to the Brandon Sun Newspaper is required to view this article. Please update your user information if you are already a newspaper subscriber.
Most Popular
Sort by: Newest to Oldest | Oldest to Newest | Most Popular 0 Comments
You can comment on most stories on brandonsun.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.