If you were in Toronto in 2000, you might remember spotting a moose (or perhaps a few hundred) on virtually every corner in the city.
But for anyone who’s walked past one of the few remaining painted moose around the city and wondered why it’s there, here’s the story behind the unforgettable art installation — appropriately dubbed Moose in the City — that overtook Toronto 25 years ago.
The idea was sparked in June 1999, when McDonald’s Canada founder George Cohon came across Chicago’s Cows on Parade, an initiative that featured fiberglass cows painted by local artists.
He pitched the concept to then-Mayor Mel Lastman, who made Cohon chairman of the campaign for Toronto, with a goal to boost tourism and civic pride, and raise money for local charities.
By April 2000, 326 life-sized moose sculptures had popped up around the city, each with its own distinct character and design. Each moose costed about $6,000 to produce, with $1,000 going to each artist who decorated them.
The sculptures, with names like Marilyn, Moosekenzie, and Moosician, were stationed all over the city, from the CN Tower and the Eaton Centre to the Toronto Zoo and Pearson Airport.
Sponsored by corporations, organizations, and individuals, the moose quickly became photo opportunities and tourist magnets, but unfortunately, not everyone treated them with respect.
The sculptures were frequent targets of vandalism, especially once people found out that their antlers were detachable. Overnight, dozens of them had their antlers stolen or broken, and a city hotline was even set up for “moose abuse” tips.
While the moose were never meant to stay forever, their disappearance was just as sudden as their arrival. By October 2000, the City auctioned many of them off for charities like the United Way and the Hospital for Sick Children, while others were donated to cities like Ottawa and Montreal.
Some landed in private homes, backyards, and offices, and although most are now in storage or missing, a few remain standing.
You can still find moose sculptures at: Gibson’s Cleaners on Dundas Street West, 20 Wynford Dr. in North York, 1 McDonalds Pl., a house at the corner of St. Leonards Avenue and Mount Pleasant Road, Sunnybrook Hospital, Lucky Moose Food Mart on Dundas Street West, Incredible Printing in North York, at the corner of Bayview Avenue and Moore Avenue, and on Kennedy Road just south of Highway 401.
Years later, an independent documentary titled Moose: The Documentary set out to track down all the missing sculptures. “We’ve found moose on islands and in offices, hidden in forests and in fields, in camps and in training centres. Moose are everywhere! Sometimes they’re right under our noses!” the documentary’s website reads.
So, the next time you spot a painted moose peeking out from a courtyard or perched on top of a house, you’re not just seeing things; you’ve just found a relic from that one year Toronto was taken over by the four-legged animals.
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