By now every Olympic fan on the face of this planet is aware of the red mitten craze surrounding the Vancouver Games -- heck, even Oprah found out about them. And so, too, did the stately lions that guard the Lions Gate Bridge.
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You really can't escape the mittens
- February 25, 2010 12:49 AM |
- By Erin Valois
Story provided by
By Mary Vallis, National Post
By now every Olympic fan on the face of this planet is aware of the red mitten craze surrounding the Vancouver Games -- heck, even Oprah found out about them. And so, too, did the stately lions that guard the Lions Gate Bridge.
Some kind soul outfitted the lions with giant red mittens of their own, a cheery sign of the hometown pride sweeping Vancouver. When Randy Laybourne and his wife found out there was a two-hour wait for the SeaBus towards their home in North Vancouver, they decided to walk over the bride instead, and snapped pictures of the scene.
"It is great to see random acts of art to entertain locals and visitors alike," said Laybourne, who originally posted the photo at http://vancouverisawesome.com.
Indeed. Even Olympic organizers say they did not expect the outpouring of support they have witnessed during the Vancouver Games.
Mittens have also been spotted warming statues of Robbie Burns, Lord Stanley, Harry Jerome and the giant version of Ilanaaq the Inunnguaq, the logo mascot of the Games.
Speaking of those mittens, get 'em while you can, if you're into that sort of thing. Representatives for HBC say 3.3 million were initially on offer -- and only 300,000 or so are left. Men's sizes are becoming a rare find.
Photo: Randy Laybourne
About the Author
- Bruce Arthur Bruce Arthur is the National Post's national sports columnist. A Vancouver native, he has been with the Post since 2001, and a columnist since 2005. He is covering his second Olympics, after the 2008 Games in Beijing. He expects these Games to be slightly less propagandistic, and for China to win slightly fewer medals.
- Joe O'Connor Joe O'Connor is a roving sports feature writer with an open-ended beat. He joined the National Post in 2002, and has spent the past seven years bouncing from sport to sport, offering fresh perspectives and delivering unique stories wherever he goes. Whether it has been getting Don Cherry to open up about his love life; George Chuvalo to talk about heartbreaking loss; or racing down the side of a mountain with former Crazy Canuck, Dave Irwin, the veteran Postie chases a story wherever it leads. Before joining the newspaper he was a two-time silver medalist at the National Magazine Awards. Vancouver will be his first Olympics.
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