So long, big greeny-blue thingamajig.



Love it or hate it, the giant balloon float Edmonton used for four years in parades across the city has been mothballed.



After four years, it’s considered old by industry standards, said city spokeswoman Melissa Lovatt. So it will stay in storage unless council has a new idea or proposes to spend money on a refresh.



So far, no one’s stepped up to champion it.



“Thank God I never voted on it or had anything to do with that thing,” was Coun. Scott McKeen’s reaction when asked about the float.



Coun. Andrew Knack was a little more generous.



“It’s a nice to have,” he said. “If it’s inexpensive and someone had some extra money … but it’s not something I’m incredibly passionate about.”



The four-metre-high, eight-metre-long balloon was designed to be filled with helium and guided with ropes, or filled with air and dragged through the streets on dollies. But it was cumbersome to drag, and annoying to pull under traffic lights at each intersection when it was filled with helium. It could never be displayed at festivals, as originally intended, because one strong gust of wind would make it a safety hazard.



Former councillor Kim Krushell championed the project, boasting it was uniquely Edmonton to have a commissioned art piece as a parade float.



But it became harder and harder to find the 12 to 16 volunteers necessary to operate the float at events, said Lovatt. The last time the float was used was last fall in the Santa Claus parade.



“This year, we don’t have plans to have it in any event,” she said.



When the balloon was unveiled at the 2012 Capital Ex parade, some loved it. Others were baffled by the abstract design. The green and blue represent the river valley. The balls on top, which make the whole thing look like a crown, represent many of Edmonton’s cultural groups.



It was designed by Artsmith Communication and built by a Windsor, Ont., company that also makes balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. It cost $80,000 to build and another $5,000 each time it was filled with helium.



Lovatt said the balloon was used 20 times in parades across the city as well as once in Calgary’s Stampede Parade and at the Big Valley Jamboree. Her team considers that a success — it gave the city a fun presence in local festivals.



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