Some called him gaudy, others fell in love at first sight. But everyone agreed: there was no missing Sam the Squamish Axe Man as you drove past him on Hwy. 99.
The larger-than-life logger was removed from his spot on Adventure Centre property during the afternoon of Thursday, Aug. 17, after a six-week stint that caused some residents to write angry letters to The Chief threatening to vandalize him, while others took up his defense.
But it wasn't the tensions that caused the statue to come down, said Squamish Sustainability Corporation operations manager Leslie Weeks.
"We took him knowing that we would have him temporarily," said Weeks. "There's certainly mixed feelings on him but we've had great response from visitors as well as locals."
Bryan Couture, the man who brought Sam to town, used a crane to take him down and put him into storage on the Logger Sports Grounds. Couture's wife Pat said the statue is too fragile for winter elements, but Sam is sure to reappear next year.
"You have not seen the last of Sam," she said.
Both Weeks and Chamber of Commerce manager Denise Imbeau said a substantial number of people stopped at the Adventure Centre to have their picture taken with Sam.
"From the Chamber's point of view, in terms of visitors, people were pulling off the highway continuously [to take] pictures of him - not the building, of him," said Imbeau. "And I think that anything that would bring more visitors into our building is a positive thing."
Despite debate over the way Sam looked and what his presence said about the town, Imbeau said she hopes to see him again every year.
"Any opportunity that we have to pay homage to our logging heritage is a great opportunity. We should never forget the industry that built our town and our province," she said. "So will I miss the little bugger? Yes."
If the Sustainability Corp. has its way, said Weeks, Sam will return next year.
"The Adventure Centre would like to thank the Logger Sports Association for letting us have Sam here for six weeks," she said.
