Reef Ball Foundation Photos and Project Description Database

Artificial Reef Structures recently completed an agreement with the Artificial Reef Foundation and the two will work closely to help restore selective Canadian aquatic ecosystems. The 500 lb. balls, which are three feet across at the base and stand two-and-half feet high, are made from an environmentally friendly blend of concrete and specifically designed to provide habitat for marine life. When Reg Teeney and John Bell, in cooperation with the Town of Sidney, planned the Bevan fishing pier, they commissioned the placement of reef balls along its perimeter to rejuvenate the sealife near the shore. The project was so successful that, in 1998, it was named the best Reef Ball project in the world by the international Reef Ball Organization. "We want to spread the word about what artificial reefs can do," said Hawboldt. "Any municipality that is doing major construction, any place there is a dock, the district or community can implement a reef system into it." Hawboldt said Sidney is leading the way with its use of the reef balls around the Bevan Pier. "It's a big draw for divers - the market could be huge. Nova Scotia is an area we are looking at. There has been a lot of damage to the water there, mainly mercury, even the lobster industry has declined because of it - the ocean is so special, the ecosystem is something we don't want to lose." For more info about reef balls please visit: http://www.reefballs.ca or http://www.artificialreefstructures.com

The Reef Ball Foundation is collaborating with internationally known marine sculptor Simon Morris (creator of the mermaid "Amphitrite" in Grand Cayman) to install beautiful new artificial "Reef Ball" reefs with a sculptural center piece. The nine foot tall bronze mermaid installed at Sunset Reef in Grand Cayman received over US$ 300K in free media publicity in the first 4 months alone, and was voted the #1 shore dive on grand Cayman by the readers of Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine. The financial success of the mermaid project is now well known in the dive industry. The Guardian of the Reef project has been granted special status by the RFB to allow all resorts and destinations participating in the project to receive a US$ 35,000.00 credit towards the cost of any size reef ball system installed with the sculpture, at the FOUNDATION GRANT PRICING LEVEL and the project will be automatically approved for inclusion in the Foundation's Reefs Around the World Grant Program. "Guardian of the Reef" is over 12 feet/4metres tall, representing a mythological creature comprising the top half of a sentry wearing ancient Greco-Roman Armour & decorated breastplate, carrying a circular shield and a trident. At waist level, the sculpture morphs into a Sea Horse, the same way a mermaid is a morph between a human female and a fish. The guardian's helmet is a stylized sea horse head, and a dorsal fin protrudes from the back of the breastplate. The tail is coiled around a heavy bronze ring embedded in a Roman column which acts as his sentry post. The column is aged, and overgrown with encrusting sponge and coral, indicating the Guardian has been steadfast at his post, but forgotten. The symbolism reflects that the oceans need our protection, but are being neglected. The Reef Balls around him shows we are awakening to the need. The Guardian is the second piece in a series of oceanographic mythological figures that started with the mermaid, and will continue in a theme of such figures in underwater placements around the globe in years to come. The Guardian will qualify for listing in the Guinness Book of World records as the tallest bronze sculpture ever purposely placed in the ocean. The Guardian of the Reef sculpture, crated and ready to ship FOB Seattle Washington, is priced at US$ 100,000.00 INCLUDING the US$35,000.00 credit towards a Reef Ball system of your choice (molds or installed Reef Balls depending upon your location and choice). For more information, and a complete project outline including photographs of recent works, please contact the sculptor at: Simon Morris Sculpture, Inc. smorris@saltspring.com

SPARS (Sidney Pier Artificial Reef Science) is a volunteer-based science project to evaluate and determine the effectiveness of a new artificial reef as crab, shrimp and other marine life habitat in Southern Vancouver Island waters.
The 90m (300') phase I of the 'Pier on Bevan' was constructed in the town of Sidney at the end of Bevan St. from 1992 to 1996. The Pier on Bevan project is a co-operative project by Sidney businesses and residents. In order to enhance recreational activities such as diving and fishing by the pier, 300 Reef Balls were placed to create an artificial reef.
The primary objective of the project is to monitor the colonization of life onto the Reef Ball reefs in the waters by the Pier on Bevan in Sidney, British Columbia, Canada
Divers record observations of the abundance of a list of species (looking for over 100 species and groups of various types of plants and animals).
SPARS aims to educate and instigate discussion with the public at large, even scientists, through multi-media presentations to various groups. SPARS educated by the development and use of displays, videos, press releases, and other materials, SPARS is able to reach out to a broad cross-section of the public with educational presentations. Conferences, school presentations, talks to community groups, and a web site are just some of the ways the SPARS public education program is delivered. The SPARS project was selected by Reef Ball Foundation as a project of the year.