Proposed mermaid statue in Lockeport, N.S., too tall a tale for some locals

A design to upright a mermaid statue in Lockeport, N.S., is prompting a word near touristry and heritage in the small southwestern Nova Scotia town.

The seaside community, home to 476 people, is a bit off the beaten track for the average tourist. About 20 kilometres off Highway 103, Lockeport is more of a destination spot than a place a tourist would likely just stumble upon.

That’s why the town’s heritage and tourism committee came up with the idea of creating a mermaid statue to try to lure people in for a visit — along with their tourism dollars.

“We thought it would be something for people to come and see a mermaid, maybe take pictures, bring their family, come down and then explore the town,” says Craig Hillen, the town’s deputy mayor and chair of the committee. “I think it would help put Lockeport on the map.”

The statue would be about five feet tall — “life-size,” Hillen said — and would be carved of wood by a local craftsperson and then coated with fibreglass. It would be placed on a rock in the ocean, and while the exact location has not yet been decided, it would not be on town property, Hillen said.

To go along with the statue, Hillen has written a story about a mermaid and a 19th-century fisherman who fall in love. He said the story would be made available to people through the town's visitor centre or online.

Although Lockeport has no known connections to the lore of merfolk, Hillen said mermaids are part of seafaring folklore.

“The ocean surrounds us and mermaids are a mythical creature that are connected to the sea,” he said.

But for some in the community, that connection is too tenuous to warrant a statue.

Cory Nickerson is a resident and the former mayor of Lockeport. He says a mermaid statue wouldn ’t suit the area.

“It’s just completely arbitrary,” he said in an interview.

In an open letter to the town’s council, Nickerson said the community should be promoting its true heritage.

“Tourism is important, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of who we are. The mermaid story takes away from the real stories of Lockeport,” he wrote.

“With ongoing discussions around amalgamation and other changes, many residents are already concerned about the possible loss of our town as we know it today. That makes protecting our identity even more important.”

Nickerson said the proposal has “caused some commotion in the community,” and based on what he’s seen in social media, there are many who agree with his perspective.

Some commenters have suggested that instead of a mermaid, there could be a statue or monument related to fishing, dories or shipwrecks.

Others have posted comments in support of the project, saying the mermaid would be whimsical, unique and popular with children.

Nickerson said he particularly takes issue with the story created to go along with the statue.

“Everywhere has its kind of thing that people come to look at, you know, like Halifax waterfront has their art installations, you know, Shediac, New Brunswick, has their giant lobster or whatever.… But they don't have these crazy stories made up to go with it.”

Nickerson said Lockeport is a hidden gem in Nova Scotia and is worthy of more attention from tourists.

“Lockeport’s an excellent place for people to visit,” he said. “But we don't really seem to get a focus on tourism.”

Hillen said the heritage and tourism committee initially considered a huge lobster statue — bigger than Shediac's — but the project would have been expensive and could cause negative reaction in nearby Barrington, N.S., which prides itself as the lobster capital of Canada.

Hillen emphasized that the mermaid statue would be just for fun, and that anyone from the community is welcome to pursue another project that represents the area’s heritage.

He said the statue would be funded by donations, not taxpayers, and would cost less than $5,000. He hopes it will be in place within a year and a half.

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