In one block along Pouce Coupe's 49th Avenue one will find almost the entire town, including the town hall, the fire hall, the post office, the museum and visitor centre, the old town hall, now a church, several flags and a park and playground.
Among all this is this sculpture, done by Cochrane, Alberta native (now living in Nanaimo B.C.) Dan Richey for the 2007 edition of the
Chetwynd International Chainsaw Carving Championship. The sculpture depicts a pair of bald eagles and a single small fish. Inevitably, two bald eagles and a single fish will lead to an altercation, which is just the case in this sculpture. The 15 foot (or so) tall sculpture was the third place winner in 2007 and was purchased by the District of Chetwynd, subsequently being given to the Village of Pouce Coupe. The sculpture has been given a place of honour in the village, immediately beside its major attraction, an excellent museum housed in the former Northern Alberta Railway Depot.
Having become fairly well known for his chainsaw carvings, Richey's work can now be found in many towns, cities and villages in British Columbia and Alberta, possibly further afield, as well.
Chainsaw Carvings
The chainsaw carving project began as part of the Rendezvous ’92 Committee, which was created to help with the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the construction of the Alaska (Alcan) highway. The Chetwynd Rendezvous ’92 Committee wished to leave a lasting legacy of the community’s participation in the special event to celebrate this milestone of the Alaska Highway.
On December 31, 1990, a meeting of major businesses and community groups was called to discuss the idea of commissioning three bears which form part of the Welcome to Chetwynd sign display. Unanimous approval was given to commission the bear sculptures from master carver, Terry McKinnon.
Since completion of the bear scene, businesses, residents and fundraising efforts of the committee have supported the project. In the first year, the Rendezvous ’92 Committee held 42 different fundraisers to raise the money to bring the first carvings to town. Some of these fundraisers included baking cookies, hosting dances, and events centered around a visit to town by the first woman in space.
In 2005 Chetwynd hosted the first annual Chetwynd International Chainsaw Carving Championship, hosting seven carvers from B.C. and the United States. In 2006, the number of carvers attending increased to twelve carvers from all across North America. Chetwynd is now drawing international attention, with carvers coming as far away as Wales, North Wales, and Japan. Spectators are also traveling to Chetwynd from distances as great as the lower United States.
The carvings themselves are becoming more intricate, with details so fine it is hard to believe that they were created with a chainsaw. Now there are more than 120 carvings located in various places around town.
From the District of Chetwynd