Wood sculpture nod to Chatham-Kent as Classic Car Capital
An ambitious wooden rendition of a classic car now dominates the park in Blenheim, celebrating Chatham‑Kent’s claim as a classic‑car hub. Crafted by Mike Winia, a professional carver from Bothwell, and his collaborator Joerg Jung, the sculpture captures a 1957 Cadillac Series 62 convertible in reclaimed white oak, weighing roughly 2,270 kg.
The project consumed about 200 hours of labor. After splitting the massive oak log, the team mirror‑imaged the halves and assembled them with a hidden steel armature, allowing the hood, dash and bumpers to open for future maintenance. Seats were carved from Catalpa wood to contrast the oak grain, and the whole piece sits on a sturdy steel bracket system.
Backed by Hydro One arts funding and a substantial contribution from Waste Connections Canada, the work anchors a growing trail of large‑scale carvings across Chatham‑Kent. Local officials see it as a tourism draw, and plans are already underway for three more installations this year, including a mastodon sculpture in Highgate. The Blenheim Rotary Club hopes the Cadillac will become a lasting landmark for residents and visitors alike.