The iconic DunBear sculpture, located at DunBear Park, Dunbar, will be lit-up green to mark COP26 in Glasgow (31st October – 12th November), one of the most important global meetings ever to take place in the UK.
The five-metre high steel sculpture of a brown bear, designed by Andy Scott (who also designed The Kelpies), was erected in 2019 and is the focal point for DunBear Park, a low carbon mixed-use development located beside the A1 at Dunbar. The lights are powered by onsite solar panels.
The sculpture is a tribute to John Muir, the Dunbar-born naturalist and conservationist who emigrated to the USA with his family. He travelled extensively throughout the country, later helping to form the Sierra Club which has gone on to be one of the largest environmental organisations in the world.
It is lit-up at various points throughout the year, including the birthday of John Muir in April (blue and white), Remembrance Day (when it is illuminated red, as it will still be this year) and St Andrew’s Day (blue and white).
John Muir petitioned the President and Congress to form National Parks, and through this Yosemite and other National Parks were eventually established.
It is because of National Parks that certain species, such as the brown bear, have survived and thrived.
Aware of the need to tackle the climate emergency, DunBear Park aims to be an exemplar low carbon community.
A highly sustainable development, located within walking distance of the town centre, it will adopt the latest low carbon technology to generate renewable heat and power on site. This will reduce the need for fossils fuels and thereby lessen carbon emissions, as well as supporting the post-Covid-19 green recovery.
Ken Ross from Hallhill Developments Limited commented: “Being in such a prominent position at the gateway to Dunbar, the stunning DunBear sculpture provides the perfect opportunity to commemorate key events such COP26, one of the most important global meetings ever to take place in the UK.
“It is also fitting that it should be part of our low carbon community of DunBear Park, which through significant investment will adopt the latest low carbon technology, with renewable heat and power generated onsite, delivering on our ambitious goal to be an exemplar low carbon development.
“The DunBear has become a much-loved piece of public art, well-visited by the local community and drawing visitors to the area and into Dunbar itself to find out more about John Muir, the pioneering naturalist and conservationist which it is a tribute to.
“It not only celebrates the work of one man but also reminds us that we can each make a positive contribution to climate change and reduce global warming for future generations.”
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