A statue erected 20 years ago to commemorate the success of champion bull rider and Houston resident Robbie Bell is going to have a new home.
Council has agreed to the idea of moving the statue of a bull a short distance from its current location at Copeland and Hwy. 16 to the Esso service station now under construction next door following the property owner expressing an interest.
The statue needs to be moved to make way for a right hand turn lane from Copeland to Hwy. 16 that is being constructed this year.
“Details such as the exact location for relocation and responsibilities pertinent to maintenance and ongoing repair would have to be determined with the property owner if this option is selected,” a memo to council from District of Houston chief administrative officer Michael Dewar explained of the potential new location.
“This option would allow for the statue to be located as close as possible to its present location.”
District staffers will now gather up all information, including costs and rehabilitation, for discussion by council at a future meeting.
The projected work includes refurbishing the bull with a new synthetic protective layer.
But council stopped short of asking for costs and information that would lead to commissioning a likeness of a rider on the bull that is meant to be Bell.
A rider representing Bell who was a two-time Canadian bull riding champion was part of the original installation but was removed by persons unknown in 2014 and placed on the CN rail line as it runs through town.
“The rider sculpture was determined beyond repair and was never replaced atop of the bull sculpture,” Dewar told council in the memo.
Carver Monty Hall from Chetwynd began work on the statue in April 2001 and spent 11 weeks in all on the project. Money was raised by Bell’s parents and Red Menhinick who came up with the idea.
Bell was the 1996 and 1997 British Columbia Rodeo Association Champion Bull Rider and followed that up nationally with the Canadian bull riding championship in 1999 and 2000.
He now lives in the United States.
Council also considered, but rejected, two other potential locations for the statue of the bull. One location was a Four Seasons Park and the second was at Steelhead Park.