Happy Rock, Gladstone, Manitoba
Posted by: 
hykesj
N 50° 13.206 W 098° 57.195
14U E 503335 N 5563103
Doubling as a tourist information center, Happy Rock has been a roadside attraction along Canada’s Yellowhead Highway since 1993.
Waymark Code: WMJBYW
Location: Manitoba, Canada
Date Posted: 10/27/2013
Views: 8
“Happy Rock” is located in the community of Gladstone, get it? Actually, Gladstone was often referred to as “Happy Rock” and when the provincial government was exploring ways to increase tourism in the area, the community decided to build on their nickname. In 1984, a contest was held to design a logo to represent Happy Rock as a kind of mascot. Jerry Wickstead, a local college student, submitted the winning design. With “Happy Rock” established as a registered trademark, the local Chamber of Commerce set out to construct the statue/tourist center.
The finished product stands 15 feet tall and is made of fiberglass. It sits above a base that’s 10 feet tall and serves as the visitor’s center. The total cost of the project was $92,000. The visitor’s center is open during the summer months and provides tourist information and various souvenirs for sale. There is also a picnic area on the grounds.
I don’t know how many souvenir key chains you have to sell in order to recoup $92,000 or even if that was the point, but who cares? It made it on to a postage stamp and what could be better than that? The stamp was part of a multi-year issue celebrating Canadian roadside attractions.
Stamp Issuing Country: Canada
Date of Issue: July 5, 2010
Denomination: (57 cents)
Color: multicolored
Stamp Type: Single Stamp
Relevant Web Site: Not listed
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