Sculpture by artist Greg Elliott undergoes repair to restore the piece to its original vision
Guelph, Ont., August 14 – The public artwork called Garbasarus will be conserved on-site in Royal City Park starting on Monday, August 17 until Friday, August 21. The conservation will be done by the work’s original artist, Greg Elliott, and take place in the mornings on those days. The artwork will remain fenced throughout this period.
Garbasaurus, also referred to as ‘Garby” by Elliott, was last conserved in 2018. The sculpture is structurally sound, but condition assessments in 2024 and 2026 have found broken and missing parts, loose attachments, corrosion, dirt, adhesives and lichen, which have compromised stability and require treatment.
About Garbasaurus
Garbasaurus commemorates the Ontario Public Interest Research Group’s (OPIRG) 20th annual Speed River Cleanup in 1999.
Designed by artist Greg Elliott, the sculpture sits over six feet tall and weighs around 647 pounds – the same amount of trash the group pulled out of the Speed and Eramosa rivers during its first clean up in 1979. Among the items most often found during the cleanups are tires, scrap metal, hubcaps, shopping carts, and paint cans. Using this as a guide, and pulling materials from local scrap yards to supplement, Elliott envisioned an installation that would appeal to children and youth and act as a lasting reminder of the importance of environmental conservation.
About the City of Guelph’s Public Art Collection
The City recognizes the importance of art in public spaces and the role they play in creating culturally vibrant communities. Every piece of artwork is an expression of our unique culture and heritage, and a reflection of our diversity, shared values, and identity.
Public art staff at the City annually assess the condition of artwork in the community. Through consultations with artists, conservators and material specialists, they identify the artwork most in need of repair and determine how to conserve it.
This process enables staff to undertake responsive conservation and make long-term maintenance plans for the entire public art collection. At present, public art staff are also coordinating conservation of “In Flight”, the bird mural under the Wilson Street overpass, and “Sudden Garden”, the bronze deer in front of the Farmer’s Market.
Learn more about the City’s public art collection.
Media contact
Strategic Communications
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City of Guelph
