The cost to protect ‘Rocky the snake’ alongside Point Edward’s waterfront in the course of the winter months has confirmed to be too pricey at an estimated $18,000.
An area resident began the colorful initiative this previous summer time by putting 13 painted rocks to kind a snake. Since then, 1000’s of painted stones have been added.
The Lambton Area Water Supply System (LAWSS) was just lately approached with a request to assist foot the invoice to winterize the show, however board members voted towards the costly endeavor.
Mayor and LAWSS Board Chair Bev Hand stated the value tag of $18,000 included a particular sort of polyethylene, protecting tools, and labour prices.
“It can keep there for the winter and we’ll simply say it is hibernating,” Hand stated. “If anyone’s apprehensive about their paint, they may come and decide up their stone and put some preservative over it – like a transparent shellac or one thing. But $18,000 simply felt to be too excessive of a cost when there are such a lot of different wants round.”
Community members could also be requested to verify on their painted stones within the spring to see how they fared over the winter and rearrange the snake as wanted.
Hand stated no environmental considerations had been raised about paint washing from the stones. Over the previous a number of months, the rock snake has created a buzz over social media and has prompted different communities, like Watford, to begin certainly one of their very own. H
and stated she did not anticipate the initiative to take off prefer it did.
“It introduced individuals out collectively, and loads of these stones have private messages and that is what makes it actually attention-grabbing,” she stated.
There has been curiosity in increasing the rock snake subsequent yr additional down the waterfront, onto municipal property, however Hand stated the matter must be mentioned with council at a later time
