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
BREAKING NEWS Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'