Midland Ont. resident takes snow sculpting to new heights

Pat Brodeur created a sunken ship under attack from a Kraken out of snow in his yard in Midland, Ont. - Jan. 15, 2025 (CTV News/Chris Garry)

One Midland resident is taking snow sculpting to new heights with the creation of his half-sunken ship under attack from a Kraken.

Pat Brodeur began the project on Dec. 10, shortly after the region’s first snowfall. He just wrapped up his creation earlier this week.

“It’s a lot of work. You don’t need to go to the gym, that’s for sure,” Brodeur said.

Brodeur constructs his sculptures by accumulating snow from each snowfall and building it into a ramp.

“Every time it thawed and rained, it turned the snow into ice, which made a pretty strong structure,” he shared.

Once he’s piles enough snow, he carves out the details using a shovel.

The finished sculpture is approximately 50-feet long and 20-feet tall.

To gather enough snow, Brodeur says he collects from his neighbours’ yards and driveways—benefitting both him and his neighbours.

The Midland resident says this is his third sculpture in five years.

Inside the snow ship, he’s added a unique feature—a fire pit. “We get to come inside the boat, have a fire, and look at the Kraken,” he said.

While Brodeur hopes the sculpture will last, he fears the rain could quickly wash it away.