Colourful new crane statue with 35-metre wingspan unveiled in south Calgary

Windward Light was designed and installed by Heavy Industries. It was privately funded. (CTV Calgary)

CALGARY -

Kids and Instagram influencers alike are bound to flock to a recently unveiled crane statue in south Calgary. 

The enormous and colourful privately-funded art installation sits outside Township, a new retail centre on 210 Avenue S.E. and Macleod Trail. 

The crane's 35-metre-long wings are made in part with iridescent glass, which creates a canopy of reflected light that changes with the colours of the sky. 

"As you change direction you can actually see the colours move," Jacob Weber from Royop Development Corporation said. 

The installation, called Windward Light, has LED lights integrated into it that are connected to a wind vane. The vane senses directionality and velocity of the wind, which is seen displayed in the crane itself. 

"At night you can actually see the direction of the wind in the way that the lights work through it," Royop said. 

"As retail gets more complicated and online is taking a chunk of sales we have to do things to get people to come to shopping centres like this, and to stay and to really have an experience more than just walking into some stores and doing some shopping," he added. 

Windward Light was designed and installed by Heavy Industries. 

Stores at Township include Winners and Bed Bath and Beyond.