© 2026 Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Public Media from Michigan State University
DONATE
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Canadian City Returns Hilarious Prank Plaques On Park Benches

NPR
Published October 12, 2020 at 7:05 AM EDT

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Rachel Martin. An anonymous engraver decorated park benches in Calgary, Canada, with plaques. They say things like, Benjy, the first hamster to fly solo around the world, took off from this spot in April 1937. City authorities decided they needed to stop the spread of misinformation, and they took all the plaques down. But the people of Calgary demanded them back, so the city reinstalled them. We need a bit of whimsy in our 2020 world, the mayor said. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
SUSTAIN what matters. BUILD what’s next.
With federal funding eliminated, WKAR relies more than ever on community support to sustain essential services that remain freely available to everyone in mid-Michigan. Your support helps shape what comes next for public media in our region. The best way to support WKAR is by becoming a sustaining member today or by upgrading your current gift. Support WKAR TV Here | Support WKAR Radio Here.