While the statue of Gassy Jack was brought down in dramatic fashion, the plinth it stood on has been removed quietly.
The City of Vancouver removed the plinth - the platform on which the statue sat - which itself stood a couple of feet high in the middle of Maple Tree Square at the intersection of Carrall, Water and Alexander streets, Monday, April 4.
It was the last remnants of the statue which has stood in the square for decades until demonstrators pulled the copper version of the historical figure down in February. It was pulled down during the Memorial Women's March in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. 'Gassy' Jack Deighton is known as one of the city's founding figures; he also took a 12-year-old Squamish girl as his bride when he was 40. They had a child a few years later.
After the statue was taken down the leftover plinth became a destination for skateboarders for a bit, with several trying to use the curved base as a ramp of sorts. Pro skateboarder Joe Buffalo was able to do an ollie over the awkward pedestal.
The city says it was removed due to damage.
"Next steps for the statue will be determined alongside Squamish Nation," a city spokesperson tells Vancouver Is Awesome in an email. "The future of Maple Tree Square will be determined through broader consultation with the Host Nations, and community engagement."
