ATCO Electric (they got their start as the Alberta Trailer Company) is responsible for the electrical power distribution for about half of the province, and monitors the status of all electrical substations fom their building here.

Just to the left of the flag-poles, there are two huge microwave towers, you'll see them in many of these pictures.

The egg has quite a following, here is a much more detailed description of it's construction, with links to other web sites and book references.

I have some close-ups of this six-sided sign display below.

In the background, you can see St. Joseph's General Hospital which was in the news that week for both ignoring an order to shut it's sterilization room (the cleaning procedures for endoscopes were found to be “not up to standard”), and also due to a problem with a bad bacterial infection (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). Fortunately, this is the closest I needed to get to the hospital.

• Newfoundland (St. John's, Deer Lake, Strawberry Hill, Corner Brook, and Stephenville Airport).
• Saskatchewan (Regina, Yorkton, Fort Qu'Appelle, Balcarres, Melville, Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, and Lloydminster).
• Alberta (Edmonton – for the XI Commonwealth Games, Grande Prairie, Peace River, St. Paul, Fort Saskatchewan, Mundare, Chipman, Lamont, Bruderheim, and Fort Edmonton).

Vegreville Pysanka Centenary Project
Alberta 1874 – 1974

“Of the great variety of projects undertaken to mark the Celebrations, none can be regarded as more unique than the Ukrainian Pysanka (Easter Egg) undertaken by Vegreville. It spectacularly contrives to combine the ancient traditions of one of Alberta's largest ethnic groups with architectural and geometric developments that represent ‘break-throughs’ in modern science, thus linking heritage and progress.”

Report of the Alberta R.C.M.P. Century Celebrations Committee.

The project, assisted by the Alberta R.C.M.P Century Celebrations Committee, was undertaken by the Vegreville and District Chamber of Commerce in recognition of one hundred years of cultural progress in Alberta.

Without the support of the ...

Dedication

“This Pysanka (Ukrainian Easter Egg) was erected to symbolize the cultures of the settlers of this area during the early years of the twentieth century. It symbolizes also the harmony which has prevailed among the numerous ethno-cultural groups who have developed this prosperous community.

The Vegreville Pysanka is dedicated to the Centenary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, in recognition of their efforts to establish peace and security and this make this area accessible to one of the largest multicultural communities in Canada.

A project of the Vegreville and district Chamber of Commerce, June 1975.

Design

Conceptual and graphic design for this unique memorial was developed by Paul M. Sembaliuk, with the architectural assistance of George Chernenko. The structural material is aluminum, and permaloy hard coat anodized colors of bronze, silver and gold are used in the design.

Ron Resch, and computer scientist at the University fo Utah, developed and engineered the physical structure of the Pysanka. He was assisted ...

Pysanka Symbolism

The Pysanka has existed as part of the Ukrainian tradition for many centuries. Archaeologists have discovered numerous samples of decorated eggs, dating back to pre-Christian times. As Ukraine accepted Christianity, the talismanic meanings of the Pysanka were adapted and blended with religious beliefs. This interweaving of pagan and religious traditions can still be seen in today's Pysanka designs.

The symbols and colors of the Pysanka have always had special significance, individually and as a whole, depending on the age and position in the community of the maker and recipient and the time of year the egg was presented.

It is fitting that the design of the Vegreville Pysanka incorporates the spirit of past tradition:

• The color scheme of the egg is also significant. Bronze has always symbolized Mother Earth and her fertility. The white silver infinite lines suggest pureness, innocence and birth within the never-ending regeneration of Mankind. Yellow color, which universally represents prosperity and happiness, is used to pay tribute to the future prosperous harvests of life.
• The radiating sunburst star has always been a basic symbol in Pysanka design. It has also been represented in rose form with five to eight points. It symbolizes eternal life, growth, and good fortune.
• The combination of golden triangles forms church-like motifs and represents a trinity of symbols, often associated with the familial unity of man, woman and child.
• The wolf-tooth or saw design carries the message of protection and security afforded the early settlers of this area by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It is a symbol associated with strength and wisdom.
• One of the simplest yet most common designs is the straight line. Encircling the egg through the silver triangles, it represents the idea of eternal life.
• The central six-pointed stars of gold and silver represent windmills, which symbolize a rich harvest.

International Firsts

Professor Resch's computer structure and manufacturing techniques represent the:

• First mathematical or geometric definition of an egg shape.
• First practical application of the theory of mathematical curve definition known as B-splines.
• First architectural shell structure in which the surface completely closes on itself.
• First authentic egg shape to be built as a structure.
• First practical realization of an engineering technique which can build any surface form by replication of only two standardized module elements.
• First architectural structure whose surface geometry requirements are as complex as the aero-dynamic surface definition of an aircraft or missle cone.
• First architectural structure where both computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing techniques are employed to create structural skin.
• First architectural structure in which all of the pieces are literally made from the drawing board, i.e., each piece is cut out on a numeric-controlled drafting table.
• First architectural structure in which every part has an engraved name determined by its relative location in the structure. It can then be completely assembled by unskilled labor with only the aid of a chart.

The World's Largest Ukrainian Easter Egg

Specifications:

Material: Aluminum permanently anodized in gold, bronze, and silver.

Number of pieces:

• Star Patterns: 524
• Triangular Pieces: 2,208
• Visible Facets: 3,512
• Nuts and Bolts: 6,978
• Internal Struts: 177

Weight:

• Aluminum Skin: 2,000 pounds
• Internal Structure: 3,000 pounds
• Base: 27,000 pounds

Dimensions:

• Length: 25.7 feet
• Width: 18.3 feet
• Highest point from ground: 31.0 feet

Over 12,000 man-hours of design and fabrication were required to develop the structure.

As microwave frequencies (which are very directional, like a flashlight beam) are used, the towers must be very rigid, so wind load does not change their aim (unlike cellular telephone towers, which can be narrow with guy wires for support).

Originally, these horn antennas (the lowest antenna, and a matching one closer to the top of the left tower) provided the communications, but now these have been abandoned, and the parabolic dish antennas are used.

This half of the ex-KFC houses fibre optic and switching equipment for Alberta's SuperNet, which is a provincially-sponsored high-speed fibre optic network to provide communications and Internet access to the 27 larger cities and towns, and about 400 smaller rural communities throughout Alberta. The network uses all the latest technologies, such as dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) and multiprotocol label switching (MPLS). Approximately 10,000 km of fibre optic cabling, and 2,000 km of fixed wireless links (a total of 340 systems, including backbone connections up to 150 km and 155 Mbits/s, and access connections of up to 40 km and 26 Mbits/s) provide access to about 430 cities, towns and small communities, and the 4,200 schools, hospitals, libraries and government buildings in them.

Our Lady of the Highway

The question is often asked, particularly since construction of the Lady of the Highway shrine in Vegreville got underway, to the following effect: “Yes, I know it's a shrine, but why is it called ‘Our Lady of the Highway’ Shrine?”

The statue is dedicated to glorify the one and the same Blessed Virgin Mary that we all love and to whom we turn daily in our prayers, – the same Mary, Mother of God, that was and is honoured and revered throughout the world in every phase of our lives.

What description could be more appropriate than that of ‘Heavenly Guide’ along the highways of life – to guide us through the moral and spiritual dangers along the spiritual AND physical dangers that beset us in our simple everyday journeys along the cement, ashphalt, gravel and dirt roads where death and serious accident wait at every turn. When we realize that in recent years more people have been killed in automobiles on the roads and highways than have been killed in all the wars of the North American continent, then we begin to appreciate the dangers of the highway.

The custom of offering prayers to Our Lady by the traveller before embarking and while on his journey, asking that he and his loved ones and all other travellers be protected from the material and moral dangers that lurk along the highways of life, is as old as time itself. Our history books relate how many of our famous explorers, before embarking upon a voyage on land or on sea, first asked the blessings of Our Lady to protect and direct them in their journey, and how they prayed for continued guidance throughout the entire voyage. Such instances of prayers and devotion are recorded in the historic accounts of; amongst others, Christopher Columbus in his search for the New World, John and Sebastian Cabot, and Simon Fraser in his search for the northwest passage across Canada. There are even more unrecorded instances of devotions and prayers offered daily in past centuries by the peasant, farmer, labourer and traveller in almost every part of the world. We have ample evidence of this in the small wayside shrines and chapels (sometimes consisting of nothing more than a simple wooden cross) which are found in many countries. Here the weary traveller of days gone by (whether he was on foot, travelling by cart or wagon pulled by a team of oxen or horses) would stop, rest, partake of his simple food, and would never fail to say a prayer to Mary, Patroness of travellers. A few of these simple wayside shrines, used by our forefathers in their travels, are still to be found in our own locality on out-of-the-way roads, slowly and surely going to ruin; they are mute evidence nevertheless of prayers offered by our forefathers to Mary, Mother of God, and Her Divine Son.

And, quite naturally, from this has developed a growing devotion to Our Lady in that same capacity, but known in recent years as ‘Our Lady of the Highway’.

In our modern and fast-moving world many travellers will travel on highway #16. For some the journey will be one which will take them to their farm home only a few miles down the road; for others it will be part of a cross-country business trip, or possibly a sight-seeing trip for the family. It is hoped, however, that each and every one, while travelling for his own particular purpose, will stop and meditate, and possibly rest and have lunch, as did the travellers of old; – or, even if time does not permit the stop, that each and every one, as they pass swiftly with seemingly no more than an indifferent glance, will be impressed and influenced and as a result will solemnly consider the uncertanties of life and, continuing on their way, will softly say a prayer of thanks and devotion to Mary, Mother of God, our Lady of the Highway.

The shrine is located on Highway #16, just east of the eastern boundary of the Town of Vegreville. It is unique in almost every respect, and as such is the only one of its kind in Canada. Of modernistic design, there is also a spacious parking area in front for the motorist who wishes to stop a while.

The central figure the statue of Our Lady, is seven feet high, sculptured in Italy from Carrara Marble (commonly known as ‘Italian White Marble’).

The base upon which the statue stands, the larger base and enclosure surrounding it and the landscaping, design especially for the Shrine by Mr. Walter Kubrak, B. of Arch., (formerly of Vegreville and presently of Edmonton) is a three-dimensional expression of the theme: divine guidance sought by the traveller througout the world.

This these is conveyed in the form of the world (represented by the sphere) surmounted by a statue of Our Lady. The theme is interwoven throughout the design by the use of the sphere and parts of the sphere: the statue rises above the grade with a partial sphere to represent in an abstract sense the world, the four hoops grouped together to form a cross also symbolize the “four corners of the world” and at the same time reflect “travel” by suggesting the wheel. The statue and base are the focal point of, and by, the circular enclosure of which the hedge of field stone forms its outer rim. The form of the cross is again achieved in an aerial view of four openings in the stone hedge, accented by the cement walk.

This history compliled by H. Sakuluk, Vegreville, Alberta.
October 23rd, 1960
Our Lady of the Highway Council #4249

This statue was blessed by His Grace Archbishop Jordan, Edmonton and His Grace Bishop P. Lussier, St. Paul, Alberta.