Roadside attraction near the Sault has a new look

The Soogopogo, a beloved concrete sea serpent and Highway 17 landmark for 50 years, has been restored by its longtime owners after some winter damage.

A unique Highway 17 roadside attraction near Sault Ste. Marie has gotten a facelift -- and is looking better than ever.

Soogopogo, similar to its relative in the Okanagan, is a sea creature that has been on display to travellers west of the city for a half-century.

But after a harsh winter, it had looked like a bite was taken out of the sea monster, almost spelling an end to the landmark.

“In this area, it’s the snowbelt,” said Annette Kennedy, a Highway 17 resident whose family has owned the structure for almost 40 years.

“He had so much snow, we couldn’t tell where he was. And when the driveway got cleaned, he got damaged.”

At least 50 years

The roadside display has served as a signifier that travellers are nearly in the border city for at least 50 years. Kennedy’s family decided fixing it up was the right thing to do.

“It’s been here for so long,” she said.

“Years ago, there used to be a rock shop, so it was kind of a side-of-the-road tourist attraction. And it was for the campground also.”

“There’s been so many people that have grown up out here or have passed by, and when they see any was damaged -- and we were actually talking about maybe tearing them down -- people … didn’t really want to have that happen.”

Thanks to Kennedy’s son and grandson, the Soogopogo’s body is fixed up. It has a fresh coat of paint and it’s evolved to grow spikes out of its back.

She said the reception has been great -- and they’re back to getting daily visits by both travellers and locals wanting to see the concrete creature.

“They park here, they take a picture of him. They have people who stand in front. Some families put young kids on its back,” Kennedy said.

“Quite a few years ago, it was, mid-November, and a fellow stopped by in shorts, cowboy boots and a hat put a rope around the neck, and he pretended he was hauling him away. So all kinds of little funny antics that I notice.”

With the positive reception she’s received this year, Kennedy said more improvements are planned for the Soogopogo.