It might be a slapshot within the face to some, however to others — notably these involved about budgets — it’s time to let the world’s largest hockey stick retire.
The present record-holder, a Douglas fir stick and puck greater than 62 metres in size, has graced the east aspect of the Cowichan Group Centre in Duncan, B.C., for 35 years. The duplicate, nonetheless, has fallen into disrepair — waterlogged and rotting in place as woodpeckers chip away it.
In a current survey by the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD), 70 per cent of some 3,000 respondents voted to bench the enduring construction. The estimated price ticket for repairing it was upwards of $1.5 million.
“It’s reached a stage the place we will’t refurbish or substitute it with out an enormous quantity of expense,” Mike Wilson, CVRD board director for Space C-Cobble Hill, instructed International Information.
“We’ve come to the conclusion now with the Cowichan Core Recreation Fee that it’s time to possibly let this one go in the intervening time, which signifies that there’s going to be a couple of woodpeckers on the lookout for a brand new residence, however that’s OK.”
The world-famous hockey stick, which weighs greater than 61,729 kilos, was initially constructed for Expo 86 in Vancouver and arrange on the entrance to the Canada Pavilion. It was moved to Duncan in 1988 after town received a Canada-wide competitors to accumulate it.
The American metropolis of Lockport, Sick., nonetheless, has plans to construct a brand new area with a fair larger stick — greater than 76 metres in size — which prompted the CVRD to query the benefit in attempting to keep up its high title.
“Like many cities in Canada we have now homelessness points, dependancy points,” Tom Duncan, performing chair of the Cowichan Core Recreation Fee, mentioned in an interview.
“Clearly, we’re taking part in with coping with taxpayers’ cash right here, in order that was a problem and excessive within the minds of the fee.”
The district says its aim now’s to hunt expressions of curiosity from group organizations or people trying to make use of a giant hockey stick.
Somebody would possibly need to repurpose the wooden, Wilson added for instance.
“We’d prefer to see it reused both by hobbyists or by these people who find themselves within the reclamation enterprise,” he defined. “We’ve got budgeted funds for taking it down, however the extra assist we will get from trade or from the general public, a lot the higher.
“None of it is going to be simply put away, a whole lot of recycling in there, we hope will go ahead.”
Two Duncan residents reached by International Information on Tuesday indicated they had been unhappy to see the hockey stick go.
“We’re well-known for lots of different nice issues however it’s unhappy. My son is 9 and he performs hockey and he’s simply actually bought into it this yr, so he’s fairly disillusioned,” mentioned Michelle Maxey, including that Duncan would stay a “hockey metropolis” it doesn’t matter what.
“I’m unhappy to see it go, it’s been round for a very long time and it’s given an attention-grabbing title to the group,” added Ian Fairwell. “I’ve grown up with it. I’ve fond reminiscences of it; it’s a landmark.”
The stick is slated for elimination in early 2024.
— with information from The Canadian Press
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