A plan to ship Tyra the tyrannosaurus, the favored vacationer attraction that towers over the skyline in Drumheller, Alta., into proverbial extinction has sparked calls for that she be spared.
The city of 8,400 northeast of Calgary payments itself because the Dinosaur Capital of the World.
Dwelling to the famed Royal Tyrrell Museum that accommodates one of many world’s largest displays of dinosaurs, Drumheller additionally has statues of dinosaurs that appear to be they’ve crawled out of “The Flintstones” cartoon greeting folks on the streets.
There’s an extinct reptile driving a bike, a triceratops in a frilly costume sits on a bus bench and one other dinosaur carrying a fireman’s hat and holding a hose is poised exterior a fireplace station.
The most important is Tyra, standing throughout from the intersection of Gorgosaurus Road and Tyrannosaurus Drive close to a customer info centre.
A close-by ice cream stand presents fossils, T-shirts and dino toys.
The 25-metre-high determine, 4 occasions the scale of an actual T. Rex, attracts 150,000 guests a yr, serving because the backdrop to tons of of 1000’s of vacationer photographs during the last quarter of a century.
Vacationers can climb 106 stairs by way of her innards to face inside her mouth and look down.
However she’s set to turn out to be historical past on the finish of 2029.
At 25 metres excessive – 4 occasions the scale of an actual tyrannosaurus and towering over the city of Drumheller — Tyra attracts greater than 150,000 guests every year.
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In-built 2000, the enormous dinosaur match into the business of the city, with its huge fossil finds and museum, which hosts over 130,000 fossils.
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Whereas the city owns the land the place she’s situated, the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce owns the attraction, and the chamber mentioned the dinosaur is about to be dismantled when the lease runs out.
“We developed a brand new strategic plan final yr, and a part of it was to take a look at the dinosaur and the way forward for the dinosaur.
So the board knew there was a restricted lifespan of the dinosaur, and these choices needed to be made,” mentioned the chamber’s govt director, Heather Bitz.
She mentioned the chamber has acquired public backlash. The response was anticipated, as there’s an emotional attachment to Tyra, she mentioned — however it’s not a transfer the chamber intends to again away from.
“I don’t consider so presently — we’re agency on our resolution,” she mentioned.
Mayor Heather Colberg says the information got here as a shock, and the city has demanded conferences with the chamber and Journey Drumheller.
“We’re the dinosaur capital of the world and the world’s largest dinosaur has been very iconic in our group. We’re going to search for some options,” she mentioned.
“The place there’s a will, there’s a means, and the group’s very obsessed with their dinosaur. You may see from all of the discussions going round — the group loves the dinosaurs, and so do many individuals who come and go to.”
She mentioned as a result of the chamber owns the dinosaur, there would have to be an settlement.
Bitz mentioned there have been intensive repairs to the dinosaur over time, together with the metal construction in 2023 — however she doesn’t assume Tyra may be moved safely.
A petition to avoid wasting Drumheller’s most well-known dinosaur, Tyra, from extinction, has now garnered greater than 20,000 signatures.
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“I don’t assume the reply is rip it down — that’s an ‘if we will’t have it, no person can’ reply,” mentioned native businessman AJ Frey. “To me, it’s like in case you mentioned — we had enjoyable with the Eiffel Tower, however we’re tearing it down.”
“This might not be designated as a world heritage website or a monument – however it’s particular to the world, and I need to be certain that it stays the place it’s,” added Frey.
Frey began a petition to avoid wasting Tyra, and it has greater than 20,000 signatures.
He mentioned he want to see her turned over to a non-profit and stored the place she is.
“The precise residents can resolve what they need to occur right here and what they need to do with the pool of cash if it’s run correctly.”
Erected in 2000, Tyra the dinosaur is scheduled to be dismantled in 2029.
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Julia Fielding, govt director of Journey Drumheller, says Tyra is a vital a part of the tourism part and hopes an answer may be discovered to avoid wasting her.
“Typically you want a bit kick so we will resolve actually what we need to do as a group,” mentioned Fielding.
“We’ve bought 5 years to find out what occurs. We’re that dinosaur capital of the world and we need to maintain that. Is Tyra the best way and, in that case, how can we save her?”
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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