Joy returns to Ottawa's Sparks Street Mall
"It looks as good as the day it was installed in 1970."
Gord Holder • Postmedia
Published Jun 22, 2023 • 1 minute read
It was “a very good day” as Joy was restored to the Sparks Street Mall.
Vandalized in early January, the long-standing sculpture by Canadian artist Bruce Garner was repaired and, finally, restored to its prime location on Wednesday.
“We were installing it (Wednesday) and people were super-excited to see it return. It was very satisfying,” Kevin McHale, executive director of the Sparks Street BIA and Mall Authority, said Thursday.
McHale said the repair process included cleaning, reheating and re-bending various pieces of bronze, colouring and waxing. As well, new mounts were installed to replace those that had been broken, and new footings were poured.
An insurance claim has been submitted by the mall authority for repair costs.
Featuring four children’s figures dancing, Joy was originally donated to the mall authority by men’s clothier E.R. (Bud) Fisher.
It remained in place for 53 years until it was damaged, along with holiday-season decorations in the same area, on Jan. 9. A vandalism report was filed, but McHale said the mall authority was told the Ottawa Police Service had not yet identified a suspect.
“It was absolutely a restoration. It wasn’t changed or anything,” McHale said, explaining why the repair process lasted more than five months. “It looks as good as the day it was installed in 1970.”
Bruce Garner died in 2012 at age 78.
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...ks-street-mall