TORONTO, ONT – Among the charming features of Berczy Park is its iconic fountain adorned with dog sculptures that spout water. However, a new figure is capturing attention.
Meet Doug, the latest addition to the park’s whimsical collection.
Drawn by curiosity, thousands have visited the Toronto park to see Doug, a beaver sculpture that plays a central role in a World Cup-themed treasure hunt. The Great Beaver Quest invites participants to discover 51 beaver statues scattered throughout the historic Old Town Toronto district.
“We believe it will be a hit with visitors and families seeking engaging activities,” stated Robyn Posner from the local Business Improvement Area, highlighting the ease of joining the quest.
Old Town is conveniently located about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) from Toronto Stadium, where six World Cup matches are scheduled, beginning with Canada facing Bosnia and Herzegovina this Friday as part of their hosting duties.
With an anticipated influx of 300,000 visitors over three weeks, Posner noted that the beaver hunt aims to offer a delightful diversion, encouraging tourists to explore and support the neighborhood’s vibrant community and local businesses.
“The goal was to draw people to this area, to come and experience what it’s like being in Old Town and to meet up with some like-minded people,” she said.
Forty-nine of the nearly 4-feet-high (1.2-meter-high) resin fiberglass beavers represent the nations competing in the World Cup — including a pair for Canada — and the remaining two represent FIFA and all the nations combined. Each has been hand-painted by a different local artist.
One of the Canadian beavers is Doug, who sports a Canada-influenced soccer uniform layered beneath a red flannel shirt.
The other 50 beavers have been placed throughout the neighborhood, in parks, along sidewalks and even indoors. Norway’s beaver stares through a window from inside an office building lobby.
Each beaver is accompanied by a QR code that takes participants to a free digital scavenger hunt. Weekly prizes will be awarded to the competitors with the highest scores as well as the winner of a random drawing.
The contest runs until Aug. 16, and then the beavers will be auctioned off for charity. It officially went live June 1 and, as of Tuesday, 4,500 people had participated.
Still, why exactly did Old Town Toronto officials decide to center their contest around the dam-building rodents?
“Because it’s Canada’s national animal, and we thought they were super cute,” Posner said. “And they’re small enough. And so, we went with the beaver.”
