The painting of Red Deer's "green onion"

I propose that Red Deer’s “green onion” should become the world’s largest golf tee.

This was not entirely an original idea, but one I have thought about for a while now. Red Deer could use an identity, something no other place has, and there is one that has already been standing over the city since 1958.

According to a story in the Red Deer Advocate of June 11, 2007, the “green onion” held the record for the world’s largest water tower when it was constructed. From what I have found on the Internet, this is still true. Although there are other towers that are taller (Union, New Jersey, 212 feet), there seem to be none with a larger water capacity. The largest water tower in the United States , located at Edmond, Oklahoma, is 218 feet tall and holds 500,000 US gallons. Red Deer’s “green onion” is 132 feet tall and holds 500,000 Imperial gallons of water.

On the other hand, the current world record for World’s Largest Golf Tee is held by a Computer Aided Design (CAD) team in Michigan. It is a mere 26 feet and 7 3/4 inches in height and 35 inches across, weighing in at almost a ton.

A golf tee with ball atop is a very appropriate symbol for Red Deer. A quick Google search lists no less than 15 golf courses within 29 miles of the centre of Red Deer. Granted, they are only used for a few months of the year, but a golf symbol could serve as an encouragement throughout the long winter days that another season is indeed coming.

The method is simple and the cost is negligible. The city has already committed to recoating the water tower and is looking for tenders (see http://bit.ly/kQnR5T, http://on.fb.me/tWPTmv).

The current green colour had been the colour used by the paint crew on the last 10 water towers they had worked on. That is historical, but not immensely significant.

The base (“tee”) can remain Niagara green and preserve the history of the colour. The rounded top can be painted white and textured to resemble a golf ball. That’s all there is to it!

At over 100 feet high (give or take the golf ball) and 62 feet wide, with 265 tons of steel in its construction, Red Deer could hold the world record and capture a spot on the “Largest Attractions” tour. It would probably gather more tourists that Vegreville’s pysanka, Andrew’s mallard duck, Mundare’s sausage, Vilna’s mushrooms, Glendon’s perogy, and Smokey Lake’s pumpkins combined!

Now isn’t that the most cost-effective attraction Red Deer could ever dream of?

The only real expense will be the thoroughfare, parking lot, visitor centre and signage to accommodate the masses!