Legend has it that Champ, the serpentlike mythical monster, was first spotted in Lake Champlain four centuries ago. Since then, there have been scores of supposed sightings, including one in 1977 that resulted in a photograph of a dino-like figure bobbing in the water. Now visitors to Burlington's ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain will get an eyeful of Champ just by stepping inside the waterfront building. A new 30-foot, 2,000-pound sculpture — made of steel and foam and paid for by private donors — hangs from cables above the science center's mezzanine. ECHO's exhibits team spent around nine months bringing their vision of Champ to fruition. First, they worked with local digital animator Mike Senften to design a computer model of the creature. Its shape is reminiscent of the plesiosaurus, a long-necked marine dinosaur, said senior exhibits designer Elliott Katz, while the bony ridges on its back and neck are inspired by lake-dwelling sturgeon. Research Casting International — an Ontario, Canada-based company that specializes in creating life-size dinosaur replicas — then turned the digital design into a 3D rendering, complete with pointy teeth and mottled green skin. A team from the company spent four days installing the sculpture, made up of seven distinct pieces, in early October. Katz said the end result hits the sweet spot of "not super cartoony, but not terrifying." Visitors have already expressed "surprise and delight" about the new addition, he added. The sculpture is the first component of a permanent exhibit called the Champ Experience — equal parts anatomy, biology, conservation and cultural history — set to be finished in late 2025. ECHO members are invited to celebrate the new sculpture at the Champ Member Opening & Cryptid Halloween Party on Friday, October 18, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Learn more at echovermont.org. The original print version of this article was headlined "Lifelike Legend" …