The community of Legacy, Calgary’s favourite community in the south and two-time winner of the BILD Calgary Community of the Year award is more than a place for estate-home living in an award-winning master-planned setting. Every part of Legacy has been designed with connection and healthy living in mind, from the trails and pathways to water features and expansive front porches, and especially the public art.
The story behind Legacy’s Open Hearts statue is deeply rooted in our community’s values of togetherness, connection and the compassion to help your neighbours when they need it.
Part of world-renowned actress Jane Seymour’s Open Hearts collection, this statue represents more than just her desire to maintain a rosy outlook on the world. Her mother used to tell her, “If you can accept what’s happened in your life, big or little, open your heart and reach out to help someone else — there will always be someone worse off than you. And by the very act of trying to help someone else, being of service, or helping in any way, you’ll have a purpose. Once you have purpose, you will get love. Love will come into your heart.”
As her first piece of public art shared with the world, Seymour’s Open Hearts statue is a very welcome addition to Legacy’s growing art collection. It is not only impressive in scale, it’s fun and interactive too, designed to be touched, climbed, and played on. “I want this to be a place for people to come and be inspired,” says Jane.
Other points of inspiration include a larger-than-life sundial in Legacy’s Green Park, crafted from stone for thousands of people to touch for decades to come. This piece of art is fully functional and works well in a city like Calgary because we get so much sunlight, the most in Canada in fact! The sundial is one of those places in Legacy that’s perfect for catching up with neighbours when you’re out in the neighbourhood – it’s a natural destination and rendezvous.
“We’ve always wanted to make it clear to our residents that Legacy is more than just a collection of houses, but a place where they can bond with neighbours — and one of the ways of doing this is having some unique centerpieces around the community,” says Kalida Manarin, marketing manager for WestCreek Developments.
If you’re heading to the nearby The Bone and Biscuit, it’ll be impossible for you to miss the enormous silver dog. This large sculpture is made from vibrant and shimmering silver-coloured metal, taking an abstract approach to representing all the different doggies that pitter-patter through this courtyard.
Art like the sundial, the silver dog, and the inspiring Open Hearts statue not only serve as excellent additions to the already beautiful natural backdrop in Legacy, they also serve as wonderful conversation starters between neighbours who know each other well, and a meeting place for new friends. While some say the community itself if already a work of art, more public art is coming to Legacy soon.
Visit Legacy today to see these beautiful works of art in person.
