The Currents of Windermere was one of the first projects in Canada to be approved by city council that is a hybrid of small shopping streets surrounded by large box stores. Forty per cent of the space is inside walk-able area that has narrower grid streets and a central “urban village” available for restaurant patios, festivals, fountains, or ice sculptures and a skating rink. At the heart of this urban village stands a memorial to the development manager for Harvard Developments, Lanny White.

Lanny White left a lasting impression on every person he came across and in return held a special place in his heart for all that touched his life. A tribute from the EBOA and ABOA states the following: “Lanny White was larger than life with family, friends and all those who came in contact with him. Always approachable, Lanny made you feel unique and accepted with his magnetic personality.” Because of his vision and contribution to The Currents of Windermere, Harvard Developments and Cameron Developments collaborated with Hammer and Forge to fabricate a sculpture that communicated these lasting impressions. This beautiful piece is displayed at the heart of the community for all to visit.

Kyle Walton from Hammer and Forge apprenticed under one of the most accomplished metal smiths in the world. His beautiful sculptures are created by forging steel, so one of the first things Kyle was taught, was to galvanize any sculpture that had intricate lines and multiple connecting pieces. Painting or powder coating the sculptures would result in small bare spots or tiny air pockets where the steel overlapped each other, causing it to rust prematurely and affect the appearance of the piece. 

The Lanny White Memorial was designed by both the architectural team from Harvard Developments and Cameron Developments alongside Hammer and Forge. Many versions were conceptualized, but after over 100 hrs of design, the sculpture you see today was brought to life. The piece is forged out of 2” pipe and heavy flat bar that was flattened and squished to create the flower and ribbon looks. Kyle Walton dedicated a continuous two months to this project to ensure it was unveiled just as everyone had envisioned. As this piece was being built behind the scenes unbeknownst to the White family, the teams goal was to communicate Lanny White’s passion and generosity through the sculpture. 

Once complete, Hammer and Forge brought the piece to be galvanized. Due to the kettle size, it had to be fabricated in two sections that were then bolted together on site. Because of the complexity of the piece, galvanizing it without catching any of the ribbons on the side of the kettle, alongside ensuring large deposits of zinc and ash were not left on it proved to be a challenge. Each piece had to be re-rigged a couple of times to secure the correct angle, and it was lowered into the kettle at a much slower rate than normal, which could be accommodated without concern of warping due to the thickness of the steel. To finish the look, the piece was sent back to Hammer and Forge where Kyle burnished the edges and sanded the structure. He then applied a cleaner from Scuplt Nouveau followed by a black patina that created the deep brown color you see today. The final step was to apply a metal wax over the entire sculpture to protect the patina look.

Preserving the memory of someone is not an easy task. Creating a sculpture for all to see and enjoy, while ensuring it lasts a lifetime, starts with the proper corrosion protection system. As Kyle Walton was taught early on, the only way to preserve, protect and enhance pieces that are this sensitive in nature is to galvanize them. Lanny White’s family will continue to enjoy this beautiful tribute for many generations to come.