It’s been less that 24-hours since a mask has been put on “Mr. Apple” but due to social media word is spreading fast – very fast.
The Big Apple General Manager Szilvia Nagy said it took approximately four hours to put the approximately seven metre square mask on the giant apple that is 12.1 m tall, 11.5 m wide, and weighs 42 tonnes. Mr. Apple was built in 1988 and can hold 650,000 apples.
“It’s been crazy!”
“Social media went wild, Facebook went wild.”
Nagy said the phone has been ringing off the hook because people are wondering if it real, or if the mask was put on using a computer software.
Once they find out it’s really, they tell Nagy they are coming to have photos taken with the giant apple.
“It’s unbelievable.”
“We hardly finished and we had crazy attention from highway customers getting off the highway and taking pictures.”
Nagy said the mask is meant to show The Big Apple’s appreciation to front line workers and they also believe it’s what everyone should be doing.
In fact wearing a mask is a must for everyone entering the store just off Highway 401 at Colborne.
Mike Kovarik and his family are from Waterloo and were staying at Presquille Provincial Park in Brighton for a brief vacation.
Kovarik and his three-year-old daughter were out taking photos of Mr. Apple and his mask.
Coming from Toronto on Thursday, Kovarik said once the family saw the apple with the mask, it brightened their day and they haven’t looked back.
“I thought it was hilarious.”
“We had a horrible experience coming through Toronto with the traffic.”
“Everybody’s spirits were a little down and then the Beatles started playing on the radio and then all of a sudden we saw this – and the trip just got better from there.”
Nagy summed it up by saying, “everyone needs to wear a mask and if we keep it together and everybody follows the rules I’m sure we can get out of this stage where we are and get back to normal.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
