Schoolgirl wins competition to name giant bear sculpture

A towering bear sculpture created as a tribute to conservationist John Muir has been crowned The DunBear.

Emily Hotchkiss, a fifth year student at Dunbar Grammar School in East Lothian, won a competition to name the five-metre steel structure.

Designed by renowned artist Andy Scott, who also created The Kelpies in Falkirk, the statue forms part of the Halhill development off the A1 and pays tribute to “one of East Lothian’s most famous sons”.

Muir, who was born in Dunbar in 1838, played a key role in the development of America’s national parks.

Design: Schoolgirl Emily Hotchkiss won a competition to name the sculpture.

He emigrated from Scotland in 1849 and is famous for petitioning the US Congress for the National Park Bill, establishing Yosemite National Park.

The bear is symbolic of Muir’s travels through the far-off wilderness of America’s west, in the Rockies and his advocacy for National Parks.

The sculpture – which lights up using renewable energy – was unveiled in November.

The final name was chosen from almost 3000 entries by designer Scott and stakeholders from Hallhill Development, who commissioned the piece.

Ken Ross, from Hallhill Developments, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled and would like to congratulate Emily Hotchkiss on her name for the bear.

“Every entry represented real enthusiasm for the project and, at the end of the day, community, history and talent is what this unveiling has been about.

“The DunBear celebrates the incredible legacy left behind by John Muir. His advocacy for national parks and the environment in general is a lesson to us all that we must do what we can to protect our precious environment.

“Going forward, we hope that many more children, young people and adults alike take an interest, visit and take an interest in The DunBear.”