What is that?: Toronto Inukshuk touches sky, towers over water

What is that?: Toronto sculptures explained is a new series looking at a different sculpture in the city every week. Have you seen a piece of public art in your daily commute and wondered what it was about? Me too … so I’ve decided that I’d learn a little bit more about my own city and share it with you.

The Toronto Inukshuk | The Toronto Inukshuk Park, 789 Lake Shore Boulevard West, west of Coronation Park

On a recent bike ride along Toronto’s Martin Goodman Trail, I encountered a towering sculpture I hadn’t seen in the city before: an Inukshuk.

There are stone steps leading up to the massive structure. I wondered how tall it is. It seems to rise over the entire lake in front of it and the clouds nearly touch its top end.

I discovered that the sculpture is actually one of the largest of its kind in North America, according to the City of Toronto. It stands 30 feet high and its arms span 15 feet. Made of granite, it weighs about 50 tonnes.

The Inukshuk, a sculpture made up of piled stones, is a familiar symbol of the Inuit, mostly found in the Arctic landscape and often used as a navigational tool.

In this case, The Toronto Inukshuk was unveiled in 2002 to commemorate World Youth Day, when Pope John Paul II visited the city.

Nearby granite slabs thank several contributors who helped fund the sculpture, which, according to the book “Creating Memory: A Guide to Outdoor Public Sculpture in Toronto,” cost $200,000 to build.

The Inukshuk is surrounded by two circles of stones — one inner circle right next to it and another wider circle surrounding the inner one.

Peeking through the structure, the calm waters of Lake Ontario and a marina sit quietly, making for a peaceful refuge from the city.

The sculpture was designed by Nunavut-born artist Kellypalik Qimirpik.

Former Mayor Mel Lastman spoke at the unveiling and his speech is engraved on another granite slab next to the Inukshuk. Part of it says:

“World Youth Day has been a true navigational guide for millions of young people throughout the world. The Toronto Inukshuk invites each one of us to become beacons of light and hope, striving for justice and peace in this world.”