Cape Coral’s iconic figure, Big John, is undergoing a significant restoration. Since the 1960s, this landmark statue has been a local legend, and now it’s preparing to make a big comeback.
Clinton Strand, owner of Brand One, is leading the repair efforts.
“So this is Big John. Big John is a landmark statue that’s been in Cape Coral since 1968,” said Strand.
Recently, Big John has been away from the spotlight.
“Big John suffered some pretty bad, catastrophic injuries during the last few hurricanes that came through,” said Strand.
The statue has a huge crack across its chest and a gaping hole in its back. Years of weather and wear have taken their toll, necessitating extensive repairs.
Strand shared that Big John stands at about 30 feet tall and weighs 13,000 pounds, making the restoration a formidable task.
“Big John is also owned by a gentleman named Elmer Tabor. He’s a good friend of mine. He kind of reached out and wanted to know if I would attempt to fix Big John and restore him back to what he used to be. And I said absolutely,” said Strand.
For Strand, the project is personal.
“Tabor is one of the early residents of Cape Coral, and this was part of his family. Him being such a good friend of mine, I feel like he’s part of my family, too,” said Strand.
The restoration journey has been challenging.
“It all started out as a little bit of a misconception of what the repair is going to entail,” said Strand.
“The internal components that hold him in place were all rotted away from over the years, and we had to replace everything. So it’s kind of a full rebuild,” he added.
Strand explained the comprehensive scope of the work.
“We have to fix the insides before we can fix the outsides. So it’s been quite the journey. It’s, it’s a huge undertaking,” said Strand.
After a year of rehabilitation, Big John is nearly ready to return, just in time for the holidays.
“I’m going to make it happen. Something will be in Big John’s place playing Christmas music. I’m hoping it’s him,” said Strand.