On Feb. 27, a group of university students sculpted a naked woman out of snow on the front lawn of an Albert Street house. The sculpture, approximately eight feet tall and anatomically correct, had to be taken down the following afternoon due to complaints made by local residents.
According to John Bagby, a fifth-year University of Waterloo student, who lives in the house and participated in building the sculpture, said that the group, which included two female students, created the snow woman because they thought it was funny.
“There’s been some mention of it being disrespectful to women, but neither of them obviously felt that way,” said Bagby.
The sculpture also had carrots as nipples, a kiwi for the vagina and another food product as a belly button ring. When police came to the house on Sunday morning, they requested that the fruit be removed.
“They didn’t care; they were laughing and taking pictures with their BlackBerries,” said Magnus Marsons, a fifth-year communications student at Wilfrid Laurier University, who also lives in the house.
However, complaints from permanent residents continued throughout the day.
“We received notice that the sculpture was there,” said Kory Preston, vice-president of university affairs for the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union.
“In reaction to that we made contact with a couple of the residents of that building and asked them to remove the sculpture,” Preston added.
Police were notified again and, according to Bagby, an undercover police officer returned to the house around 1 or 2 p.m. informing the residents that they had to take down the sculpture.
Although charges were not laid, Bagby and Marsons agreed that the incident was blown out of proportion.
“I think it’s ridiculous the amount of attention that’s been focused on this,” said Bagby. “Can’t city officials find something better to do with their time?”
At press time Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) could not be reached for comment.
