Famous dinosaur sculpture gets flowery facelift in Milton Keynes
The Triceratops has been transformed
The much-loved Triceratops dinosaur at Peartree Bridge is sporting a roar-some new design.
The Parks Trust launched a competition to find a budding local designer who could create a new ‘skin’ for the 8.7m long sculpture, which was in need of restoration.
A five-year-old girl, Freya Bundy, was declared the winner and her brightly-coloured flowery design was painted on the dinosaur by art technicians Aaron Head and Emma Wilde
This week the Parks Trust officially unveiled the new look with Freya, her mum and local people.
The Triceratops is one of dozens of pieces of public art cared for by The Parks Trust. It was created in 1979 by Bill Billings, a truck driver who learned to sculpt with wire mesh and concrete when he volunteered on a community art project to create the city’s Concrete Cows.
He actually slept in the belly of the dinosaur while it was still under the construction phase, to stop any unwanted attention from curious people.
As it stands outdoors in all weathers, Triceratops needs to be repainted from time to time and its various incarnations over the years are always a local talking point.
Julie Dawes, Events & Community Engagement Manager at The Parks Trust, said, “All schools and community groups close to Peartree Bridge were invited to take part in our design competition and we were thrilled to see so many brilliant entries.
"Our judges chose Freya’s submission because it blended natural features such as flowers with bold colours that would brighten the day of passers-by.
"The final result looks amazing, and we are grateful to everyone involved in the project, especially Freya who has rightfully earned her place in local history today!”
Meanwhile, the city’s other famous dinosaur sculpture – the giant T-Rex on Bletchley’s Lakes Estate – is still badly in need of renovation.
The ‘Leonasaurus Rex’ was also built by artist Bill Billings, with the help of students from Leon School, in the early 1990s.
Years later, Leon school changed management and it was decided to move the dinosaur off the school premises and onto the nearby recreation ground, where it remains today.