Dude Chilling Park Explained

Place Type:Public art installation
Image Place:DudeChillingPark.jpg
Image Caption:Sign installation at the west end of Guelph Park
Designer:Viktor Briestensky
Construction:November 2012
Address1:Brunswick Street
Address2:Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Pushpin Map:British Columbia Vancouver
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Vancouver
Coordinates:49.264°N -123.0959°W

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".

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 ("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]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Meiszner . Peter . February 26, 2014 . Dude Chilling Park sign to be installed tomorrow - BC . March 11, 2014 . Global News.
  2. Web site: Colebourn . John . February 28, 2014 . Parks Board's now chill to call it Dude Chilling Park (with video) . https://web.archive.org/web/20140305102647/https://theprovince.com/technology/Dude+Chilling+Park+finally+official/9558997/story.html . March 5, 2014 . March 11, 2014 . The Province.
  3. News: February 4, 2014 . Dude Chilling Park sign gets official public art status . . live . March 1, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140302011940/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/dude-chilling-park-sign-gets-official-public-art-status-1.2522560 . March 2, 2014.
  4. News: Dude Chilling Park sign causing some residents to lose their cool . . February 28, 2014 . March 11, 2014 . Judd, Amy.
  5. Web site: Vancouver's Dude Chilling Park sign goes missing, again. August 31, 2014. September 1, 2014. CBC News British Columbia. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
  6. Web site: Crawford . Tiffany . July 29, 2023 . Vancouver's Mount Pleasant community rallies to help victims of apartment fire . October 24, 2023 . Vancouver Sun.
  7. Web site: OfficialVCB . February 6, 2014 . Jimmy Kimmel on Vancouver's Dude Chilling Park sign . https://web.archive.org/web/20140206200615/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR3GnrFuzL4 . February 6, 2014 . March 11, 2014 . Youtube.
  8. News: Ip . Stephanie . December 15, 2021 . 'Barge Chilling Beach' sign installed as park board gift to Vancouver . Vancouver Sun . December 15, 2021.
  9. News: January 4, 2022 . Artists waiting for Indigenous place names question quick approval of Barge Chilling Beach sign . . August 1, 2022.
  10. News: Chan . Cheryl . January 21, 2022 . The sign that launched millions of selfies - Barge Chilling Beach - is now just a memory . Vancouver Sun . August 1, 2022.