History of roadsideobjects.com
The very first strange object I ever took was a picture of was Giant Coke Can in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba in 1998. Since 2001, I have been taking pictures of different objects and statues. I now have over 1,800 pictures from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and even a few from Ontario, Quebec and USA. The Giant Coffee Pot in Davidson was very first object that I took a picture of in Saskatchewan in June 2001.
Overtime I have used several internet sites to help locate the many of the different attractions. These is include http://www.roadsideattractions.ca/ and http://www.bigthings.com (No longer up)/ However, every time I take a trip to find some of them I have problems finding some of the objects. I don't have the exact location of the statues. Yes, the object is in this town or city, but where? I sometimes I spend an hour or two trying to find it, but end up not finding it. The next time I go to that town or city I find it in less then 15 min. Some I have yet to find. I also always seem to find other objects I did not know about. That is what make the trips fun!
So, in June 2009 I started to build a web page. By October 2009, I had 50 pictures in a photo gallery. I created this site to include the street locations so other people will able to find the statues or objects. In 2009 I also started taking pictures of the different water towers. I am from Saskatchewan have over 700 pictures from Saskatchewan alone. My site includes water tower pictures from Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba right now. I have only 1 water towers from British Columbia right now.
Since, the fall of 2011 I have been adding pictures from Alberta. In October 2012 I started adding pictures from Manitoba. In October 2013 my first pictures from British Columbia were added. My goal is to include pictures from all 4 western provinces in Canada. I know this list will never be completed as new roadside objects are being made all the time. Other objects are being removed due to damage or other reasons. This is part of the fun of trying to find all the roadside objects. It also great way of seeing this great country of Canada!!. In 2013 GSP locations were added.
In September 2018 I moved the site www.roadsideobjects.com from webs.com to godaddy.com. This was to modernizing and update the look of my web page. Pictures from all 4 Western Provinces are still be included.
In spring of 2022 the web page look was change. All the GPS locations are replace by L&L locations. I find that GPS locations due not work on my phone, because of small spirral circle. However Longitude & Latidude (L&L) locations without small spirral circle does. I hope you enjoy my webpage.
I have included the following 8 items on this web page. However, there are some exceptions lighthouse in Cochin, & Sylvan Lake etc.
1. Statues of Animals, Fish, Birds, Insects, and plants
2. Statues of People
3. Giant Food Items
4. Giant Objects
5. Miniature Buildings
6. Vehicles and Planes on Poles
7. Totems Poles
8. Water Towers
(They may be real or make-believe. Murals, and regular-sized painted fire hydrants, painted power boxes etc. are not included in this web page.)
Starting in December 2013 2 or more pictures of the same object are included as a collage. Here are those guidelines
A. Any objects/water towers that have changed colours are included.
B. Any object that is different on the other side has 2 pictures showing both slides.
C. Any objects that has moved has pictures in both locations.
D. Any objects that was replaced by a similar object in the same location or town has both pictures included.
Contributors
I would like to thank the following people who have help with the pictures on my Web Page
Wendalynn Donnan my beautiful wife - Thanks for helping me find many of the pictures as we drive around this wonderful country to visit family, or on holidays and for letting me take these weekend trips to find many more pictures.
Ed Soloka of Sudbury- www.roadsideattraction.ca. If not for his web page I maybe not have started my own. I have found many more attractions while trying to find the ones on his web page. Sadly he passed away in December 2015, but someone else took over his webpage. Several defunct pictures from his site that I never found have been added to my page crediting the person who took the picture.
Lorraine Hirning from Kelowna. She helped me with information on most of the pictures from Edmonton and Depression Pete from Legal, AB. She also sent me a picture of the Doors to Opportunity in Yorkton.
I have also included Lorraine's pictures of Nardam - Wooden train & Balaz - Cacti that are no longer up.
James Ried from Saskatoon - He has pictures of 400 different attractions in Saskatchewan. He helped me with the information on a dozen attractions around Saskatchewan. I have included 7 of his pictures that are no longer around - Polar Bear - Cabri, SK, Golf Ball - Leader, Tin Man - Love, Wheat Stocks - Landis SK, Coal Cart - Mantoka, Sk, (By the time I got to these towns they were no longer up.)
Debbie Mayer from Calgary - Thanks to my cousin for sending me a picture of Kamsack - Orange & White Water Tower. I have seen this water tower many times but never bothered to take a picture of it. This Kamsask water tower now just painted white.
Thanks to Karen Brankare for information on statues in Red Deer as part of the Ghost Sculptures. brankare@telus.net. I was able to find all, but one on May 31, 2013, on my way to Calgary. In 2021 I found the missing statue and many more in Red Deer.
www.Kenaston.ca for the originator white colour of Railway Water tower. It was repainted in 2008.
Sam Beukardt from Waldheim. Thank my friend for sending 2 picture Baseball Bat in Battleford and Inukshuk near Minton
www.eureka4you.com/watertowers/index.htm - for original colours of Rosetown, SK (orange) and Sturgis, SK (red) Water Towers. Both Water Towers are now painted Roughrider Green. Water Towers from Brandon.
Bob Brown & Kendra Carey reporters pictures about T-Rex in a Tux, and Ankylosaurus being damaged in January 2016
James A. Edgar web page www.plus.google.com/photos was used to include 2 Melville Silhouettes pictures I missed from Melville that are no longer up 1. Cowboy, Horse & Grave, 2. Senior & Child
so have added them.
Thanks for all pictures and help for many people over the years.