"The Dreamwork of the Whales" was conceived and produced by the Ne Chi Zu Works, a group of Toronto born artists living in Vancouver, who retained artist Georganna Malloff to create the conceptual design. With the help of the Harbourfront Contemporary Art Gallery, corporate, civic and arts group sponsorships, and individual  contributions and assistance totalling $90,000, this 700 year old tree was brought from the fertile soil of the Elaho river valley in BC to Toronto for it's transformation by the talented hands of principal designer/sculptors Ben Barclay, Julian Bowron, Lynn Daly, Daniel Gauvin and Earl Thomlinson, who donated over 4 months of their time, aided by Georganna and several guest carvers, to shape the carving, which was raised by hand with 300 volunteers on Oct 13th, 1981.

 Since then, the sculpture has been surrounded by an appreciative new housing community, and re-set into the into the little viewing garden in Little Norway Park, but is beginning to show some serious effects from lack of maintenance. The preservation of this valuable artwork is simple, but important. Unfortunately, water freezing in and enlarging the cracks and knot holes will eventually break the pole into pieces unless it is kept out. The water damage is accelerated by the ceaseless passage and sharp little claws of squirrels using the knot holes as highways to the hollow interior of the tree. Luckily, Red Cedar is a very strong and rot resistant wood. If these holes are permanently filled, and the top plug which protects the hollow central core is rebuilt, the sculpture will last generations. These one time repairs need a few days to complete. On going maintenance requires carefully washing the dirt off every decade or so, and applying a protective coat of oil.

 For visitors who want information about the carving, a bronze plaque imprinted with the basic story and a link to a web-site archive should be added. Linked to City Parks, Culture, and Tourism departments, the archive would house a copy of the film documenting the pole's creation, along with photographs and stories allowing people to understand the history, and research it further if desired. With repairs completed and commemoration in place, a gathering of residents, artists, and representatives of City departments can be held to formally re-dedicate the carving.

 At present, the "Dreamwork of the Whales" is a random act of kindness and also a great work of art.  It has a comfortable, engaging beauty and a deep root of mystery. For the curious visitors to our city, for the residents eager to form a deeper connection to their neighbourhood, and for the group of artists and citizens who created this sculpture, the time has come for the City of Toronto to commit to the continuation of the beauty and enjoyment offered by "The Dreamwork of the Whales".