Oh Gnome! Anyone want to adopt the World's Largest Gnome?
— LANMonkey (@LANMonkeyGC) March 5, 2019
Howard the Gnome - a long-time roadside attraction near #Nanoose on #VancouverIsland will be evicted Apr30! 😬
Check out the article, and let me know if you've visited Howard!https://t.co/qI2ZBb29S0 pic.twitter.com/P59AmHqKVp
Howard the world's largest gnome with a height of 7.19m will have to vacate his premises soon or Chevron Canada will be forced to tear him down. For 25 years, he stood as a landmark in the local seashore community of Nanoose Bay, but now it is time for him to bid farewell.
“He’s a landmark,” says Bridget Matawish. Her grandfather, Rob Hale, constructed Howard using recycled materials shortly after passing ownership of the family’s amusement park to Matawish’s father, Bruce Hale.
Even after the family business changed from amusement park to gas station, then was sold to Esso in 2006, Howard remained; visitors sometimes made a trip just to snap pictures of the beloved giant.
Matawish turned to social media, posting Howard's dilemma on Facebook and turning to friends to tell them that Howard is available. And within a day, many responded and said they would like to take Howard in. Eventually, Howard found a suitable caretaker in Rob Galey.
(Image credit: LANMonkey/Twitter)