Heidi Northover has three passions, two of them already well-known to Bradford residents.
One is the BWG Public library, where she has worked as a Library Technician for over two decades.
The second is hockey great Bobby Orr. Northover has been described as “Canada’s No. 1 fan” of the former Boston Bruin and two-time Stanley Cup winner.
Not only does she make an annual pilgrimage to the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame in Parry Sound, where she is personally welcomed by Orr, Northover has shared her collection of Orr memorabilia at the Library, filling the display cases to overflowing with jerseys, hockey cards, signed photos and books.
Now she’s sharing a third passion: Gargoyles.
Not the cartoon or comic book characters, these are the carved stone creatures that Medieval sculptors placed on towers and rooftops, to act as downspouts – and in folklore, to drive off evil spirits.
Northover saw her first gargoyle when she travelled to Europe in 1993.
“If I hadn’t been to Paris and seen the gargoyle on Notre Dame (Cathedral), I never would have started collecting,” she said. “I was hooked!”
When she returned from Europe, she was surprised to find that others shared her interest. She found gargoyles for sale everywhere. “Outdoor markets (Kempenfest), select garden centres (like Bradford Greenhouses), hardware stores (Home Depot) – I even bought one at Bradford’s Carrot Fest!” she said.
She now has 24 gargoyles of all sizes and shapes. They sit in the corners of rooms, on stairs, shelves and tables, and even on the verandah – “guarding the entire house, inside and out,” she said.
There’s only one room without a gargoyle, and that’s the “Bobby Orr Room.”
Now Northover has filled the library display cases with some of her collection, for the month of February. In the centre of the display is a large photo of the gargoyle at Notre Dame that inspired her.
Oddly enough, she came across the photo not in Paris, but back in Ontario at Barrie’s Kempenfest - and received the original photograph as a Christmas gift.
In April of 2019, Notre Dame Cathedral suffered a catastrophic fire, destroying the spire and much of the roof of the 850-year-old church. Sadly, Northover isn’t sure if the gargoyle in the photo has survived.
While Notre Dame's huge rose window was saved, along with religious relics and artworks, the surviving shell of the building continues to be described as “fragile,” and heat damage to the stonework has raised concerns. Restoration work isn’t expected to begin until 2021.
Northover is hoping that the gargoyles still keep watch over Notre Dame, as they do at her home.
Drop by the library and check out her collection. Kids are invited to complete the Gargoyle Quiz.