Duncan, B.C., could soon lose record for world's largest hockey stick to U.S. town
A battle of who has the biggest hockey stick in the world is brewing outside of rinks in Canada and the U.S.
Currently, the world's largest hockey stick is located in North Cowichan, B.C.
The massive 66-metre, or 218-foot, behemoth weighs 28 tonnes, or as much as six and a half elephants.
The hockey stick is made out of steel and Douglas fir, and is certified as the world's largest hockey stick in the Guinness Book of World Records.
"It’s a symbol or our town," said area resident Ron Painter.
"It’s huge," added seven-year-old Sahara Skye.
But, the massive hockey stick may not hold the record for long.
Some 3,600 kilometres away in Lockport, IL, construction of a new rink has just been approved by city council. The new rink includes a 76-metre, or 250-foot, hockey stick, some 10 metres or 30 feet larger than the one in North Cowichan.
"Well, honestly, when it comes to Lockport here, I like quirky, so anything quirky I can get behind," said Lockport Mayor Steve Streit on Tuesday.
Streit says, go big or go home.
An artist's rendering of the upcoming hockey stick in Lockport, IL, is pictured. (Lockport City Hall)The rink and stick are being built by a private investor. The proposal was unanimously approved by city council.
"They will start breaking ground here real soon so they’ll be working on it throughout this year," said Streit.
"You guys have a little time if you want to build an extension on your hockey stick and try to keep up," he joked.
Lockport currently doesn’t have a hockey rink within its borders, so the community of nearly 30,000 is buzzing.
"Why throw the world's largest hockey stick out front of it? I don’t know, why not?" said Nick Jakusz, midday host of radio station 95.9 The River in Aurora, IL.
"We kind of like to do that around here," he said. "If you’re going to do something, do it big right?"
Jakusz points to another world’s largest attraction that was just constructed in the neighbouring city of Joliet, IL.
"They just erected the largest handmade guitar sculpture in the entire world," said the radio host.
The guitar has already attracted a lot of attention worldwide.
"It’s a fun thing, and why not?" said Jakusz.
The largest handmade guitar sculpture in the world located in Joliet, IL, is pictured. (Nick Jakusz)Back on Vancouver Island, people don’t seem too upset about being dethroned.
"The competition is good for our image because [the hockey stick] kind of gets forgotten," said Painter.
Regardless of who gets the "world’s largest" title, the controversy is once again giving North Cowichan’s old stick the attention it deserves.
On the bright side, not all hope is lost.
"Duncan, [B.C.], can rest assured, the hockey stick outside of this new [rink] going up in Lockport is left-handed, so at least you’ll have the world's largest right-handed hockey stick," said Jakusz.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.