Wawa Goose

This giant metal goose has been drawing in motorists from the nearby highway for over 50 years, and the giant fowl’s popularity doesn’t appear to be flying the coop anytime soon.

When the Trans-Canada Highway was finally completed in 1960 and linked up to Highway 101, the locals in nearby Wawa township noticed one problem with what should have been a boon to local traffic: everyone was just driving by. The problem was that the new road pretty much avoided the prime downtown sector. The solution they came up with was to build something that would call drivers in to visit the town. That something became the Wawa Goose. 

One of the local businessmen came up with the idea of creating a giant Canadian goose statue to call to travelers the first Wawa Goose was erected. Unfortunately, the original plaster goose did not stand up to local weather and quickly deteriorated, leading to the creation of the current goose in 1963. This new monument was made of steel, not just to make it more durable, but also to represent Wawa’s iron industry. This 28-foot-tall bird is the same fowl that stands today, although a bit the worse for wear.

Nowadays, while the Wawa goose still stands as one of the major roadside attractions in Ontario, it could use a birdbath. Parts of its wings have fallen off from neglect, and the statue is structurally unsound. Engineers who have looked at the statue think it may need to be replaced entirely. But until that day comes, the Wawa Goose remains.