Anyone game for the world’s largest hockey stick?
The Cowichan Valley Regional District opened a bidding process this week to take the Expo 86 relic off its hands — and off the east side of the Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan, where it has been hanging for 35 years.
The regional district’s expression of interest is open to any public, non-profit or private entities that can submit a proposal that includes removing the stick from the community centre.
“Alternative and creative proposals will be considered and all complete proposals will be evaluated by the Cowichan Core Recreation Commission based on general evaluation criteria,” according to the regional district website.
The expression of interest process is open until May 1.
The stick is made from Douglas fir, is 62.5 metres long, weighs in at 28 tonnes and earned the Guinness Book of World Records title as the world’s largest hockey stick in 2008. It comes with a puck. But the stick is showing its age, with decay and a concern for public safety in its current location.
A recent survey by the district on how much residents care about the stick and if they wanted to hold the world title found it wasn’t a high priority, with 70% of roughly 3,000 respondents saying they were ready to say goodbye.
Replacement costs were estimated to be between $1.2 million and $2 million.
Lockport, Illinois,tnor is in the running to take over the world title with plans to build a 76-metre long stick at a new arena.
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