Calgary 'Poop Palace' Wins Wasteful Spending Award From Taxpayers Federation
The artwork is certainly controversial.
Sarah Rieger— The Huffington Post Alberta
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City of Calgary/YouTube Screengrab
A piece of Calgary public art was "honoured" Wednesday after winning an award for being the most wasteful municipal spending of 2015.
The Forest Lawn Lift Station features LED lights that map flows in the city's wastewater system, an initiative that Mayor Naheed Nenshi described as both beautiful and functional.
However, some residents were frustrated that the city spent $236,000 decorating what Paige MacPherson, Alberta’s head of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, called a "pretty poop palace."
Now, the city has been awarded a Teddy Award for the waste station's controversial artwork.
“Most people would agree that our waste water is something to manage discreetly, rather than celebrated with an expensive hilltop art project,” said Aaron Wudrick, federal director of the taxpayers federation, in a news release.
The Teddy Awards are named for Ted Weatherill, a former federal politician who was known for his ridiculously exorbitant expense claims.
EDMONTON — Alberta's NDP government tabled its first budget Tuesday. A look at some of the winners and losers:Files from The Canadian Press (credit:GEOFF ROBINS via Getty Images)
Winners — Low-income families(02 of10)
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Winners — Low-income families: New Alberta Child Benefit to assist families earning less than $41,220. Parents to get up to $1,100 for one child and as much as $550 each for three additional children. Family Tax Credit to be enhanced so more lower- and middle-class families can get access to it and draw from it for longer periods.Files from The Canadian Press (credit:JGI/Tom Grill via Getty Images)
Winners — Employers and people looking for work(03 of10)
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Winners — Employers and people looking for work: A two-year job incentive program is to give companies of all sizes, as well as non-profits, $5,000 for each new job they create. Meant to support 27,000 new jobs each year. New measures to improve access to capital for small- and medium-sized businesses.Files from The Canadian Press (credit:Getty Images)
Losers — Drinkers and smokers(04 of10)
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Losers — Drinkers and smokers: The cost of cigarettes goes up by $5 a carton. A case of 12 beers goes up 24 cents and a bottle of wine is increased by 18 cents.Files from The Canadian Press (credit:Gene J. Puskar/AP)
Losers — The insured(05 of10)
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Losers — The insured: There is an insurance premium tax hike of one per cent.Files from The Canadian Press (credit:Alamy)
Losers — Politicians(06 of10)
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Losers — Politicians: Cabinet ministers, political staff and members of the legislature are to be under a salary freeze for the remainder of the current four-year legislature term.Files from The Canadian Press (credit:GEOFF ROBINS via Getty Images)
Winners — The sick and those in need(07 of10)
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Winners — The sick and those in need: More money for services to help children and families in need, including $15 million to support women's shelters. Operational funding for health is to increase to almost $21 billion by 2018.Files from The Canadian Press (credit:Shutterstock / Lighthunter)
Winners — Construction workers(08 of10)
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Winners — Construction workers: The province plans to spend $34 billion over the next five years to ramp up construction for roads, schools, hospitals and other facilities.Files from The Canadian Press (credit:Getty Images)
Winners — Students(09 of10)
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Winners — Students: There is a two-year tuition freeze for post-secondary students. An additional 380 teachers, plus 150 support staffers, to be hired for grade schools.Files from The Canadian Press (credit:Getty Images)
Losers — Future taxpayers(10 of10)
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Losers — Future taxpayers: Starting next year, the province plans to begin borrowing for the first time in 20 years to manage its day-to-day spending. Debt for capital is expected to hit $36.6 billion by 2018.Files from The Canadian Press (credit:Getty Images)
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