Whale Bell Park
Langley, Washington
2020

A 12-foot gray whale located at the entrance to Langley’s waterfront Seawall Park, overlooking Saratoga Passage. Gray whales annually migrate through the area and Orca Pods pass by regularly. There is a bell in the park that anyone can ring to alert the town that whales have been spotted.

Slots in the blow holes accept donations, which ring an internal bronze bell as they drop into the collection chamber. All funds raised go to support the popular Langley Whale Center and maintenance of the park.

The sculpture was named by contest, with “Hope” the winning suggestion. It is meant to symbolize both hope for the Gray Whale in face of endangerment from environmental degradation, and hope for us all in face of the Pandemic that has raged during the time of the project.

The Wishing Whale was conceived by the Langley Art Fund, a group of civic minded art enthusiasts. They envisioned the sculpture as a gateway to Seawall Park and an opportunity to strengthen the connection between downtown and waterfront. They coordinated the private fund raising effort and shepherded the project through a complex web of engineering and permitting issues before final installation and gifting to the City.