Dude Chilling Park

Dude Chilling Park is a sign installation, originally created as a prank, which now has official public art status in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is located on the southwest corner of Guelph Park at the 2300 block of Brunswick Street in the Mount Pleasant area of the city.^[1][2][3] It references the park's sculpture "Reclining Figure".

Dude Chilling Park
Public art installation
Sign installation at the west end of Guelph Park
Design	Viktor Briestensky
Construction	November 2012
Address	Brunswick Street Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Dude Chilling Park Location in Vancouver
Coordinates: 49°15′50″N 123°05′45″W / 49.2640118°N 123.095931°W / 49.2640118; -123.095931

History

In November 2012, the sign was created as a prank by local artist Viktor Briestensky, as a light-hearted reference to "Reclining Figure", a public art piece by Michael Dennis installed in Guelph Park in 1991.^[4] Vancouver Park Board staff quickly removed the sign, but local resident Dustin Bromley launched an online petition to reinstall the sign. After more than 1,800 signatures of support, the Parks Board decided to reinstall the sign permanently on February 27, 2014, because it celebrates the unique characteristics of the park and neighbouring community. In September 2014, the installation was stolen but has since been replaced.^[5]

In July 2023, Dude Chilling Park was used to collect donations for residents that had been displaced in a fire.^[6]

Popular culture

International attention for Dude Chilling Park included American late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel who said "Between Dude Chilling Park and Mayor Ford, I might have to move to Canada."^[7] R&B Brewing, a local brewery, created "Dude Chilling Pale Ale" in their year-round line-up as a tribute.

The Vancouver Park Board donated a "Barge Chilling Beach" sign that was installed at Sunset Beach, where a wayward barge had been grounded following the November 2021 floods.^[8] The sign was later painted over with Í7iy̓el̓shn ("ee-ay-ul-shun"), the name of the beach in the Squamish language, in graffiti.^[9] The Park Board removed the sign in late January 2022.^[10]

References

1. Meiszner, Peter (February 26, 2014). "Dude Chilling Park sign to be installed tomorrow - BC". Global News. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
2. Colebourn, John (February 28, 2014). . The Province. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
3. "Dude Chilling Park sign gets official public art status". CBC News. February 4, 2014. from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
4. Judd, Amy (February 28, 2014). "Dude Chilling Park sign causing some residents to lose their cool". Global News. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
5. "Vancouver's Dude Chilling Park sign goes missing, again". CBC News British Columbia. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. August 31, 2014. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
6. Crawford, Tiffany (July 29, 2023). "Vancouver's Mount Pleasant community rallies to help victims of apartment fire". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
7. OfficialVCB (February 6, 2014). . Youtube. Archived from the original on February 6, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
8. Ip, Stephanie (December 15, 2021). "'Barge Chilling Beach' sign installed as park board gift to Vancouver". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
9. "Artists waiting for Indigenous place names question quick approval of Barge Chilling Beach sign". CBC News. January 4, 2022. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
10. Chan, Cheryl (January 21, 2022). "The sign that launched millions of selfies - Barge Chilling Beach - is now just a memory". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved August 1, 2022.

External links

• Official website