New look for landmark Selkirk statue

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This article was published 23/09/2024 (559 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Selkirk landmark is getting a new look, and this big fish story is actually true.

The Chuck the Channel Cat statue, located on the city’s Main Street, is undergoing repairs and getting a new coat of paint. The work, which has already begun, should take about a week to complete, the City of Selkirk said in a news release Monday.

The restoration project is led by Jen Mosienko Design, which has restored landmarks across the province, including Komarno’s giant mosquito.

“We’re thrilled to be giving Chuck some new life,” Ellie Longbottom, Selkirk’s culture co-ordinator, said in the release.

“He’s an icon in the city, something people come to see from near and far. Chuck is a testament to our strong connection with the Red River and the channel catfish that call the Red home.”

The statue is named after Chuck Norquay, the late fisherman whose passion for sport fishing led him to secure the title of Catfish Capital of North America for Selkirk. He appeared on the internationally syndicated TV show Good Fishing in the mid-1980s, and Selkirk’s reputation as a premier fishing hub exploded.

City Coun. Lorie Fiddler, who was a friend of Norquay’s, said she is glad to see the Selkirk landmark being worked on.

“He put Selkirk on the map for great fishing. More importantly, he was so proud of Selkirk. Chuck was a Selkirk guy, a family man and a great friend to so many,” she said.

Chuck the Channel Cat was unveiled in May 1986.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca