It’s gone into sudden death overtime.But the final buzzer is being sounded on The World’s Largest Hockey Stick — and puck — which is being dismantled after 35 years of adorning the Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan, BC.Earlier this year, the iconic stick was sold to local businessman Bart Robertson who plans to turn it into key fobs sports teams and church groups can resell for $20 a pop. Dubbed ‘A Piece of the Action’ each will be numbered and come with a certificate of authenticity.Separate desk displays will go for $100 each..Workers are presently prepping the 62.5-metre, 28-tonne twig which is to be taken down in five sections. Work is expected to be complete by the end of the month.“The decision to create collectible memorabilia from the world’s largest hockey stick and puck stems from a desire to share this iconic symbol with a broader audience,” Robertson says on his website.“(This) ensures the legacy of the stick and puck lives on in homes, offices and collections across the globe.”The stick was originally commissioned by the federal government of Brian Mulroney for the Canada Pavilion at the Expo 86 world fair in Vancouver. After the year-long event it was moved to Duncan where it was mounted to the community centre..The stick itself was made in Penticton.After the fair, the hockey stick was reportedly transported to Vancouver Island by barge and 3 flat bed trucks. It entered the Guinness World Book of Records in 2008.But the years have taken their toll. Parts have rotted. Birds have made nests in the Douglas fir implements. Rather than being a centerpiece for the town, it’s become a safety hazard.Costs to replace it have been estimated at $1.5 million-$2 million. After a community ‘consultation’ residents decided it wasn’t worth the cost of repairing or replacing it. Robertson emerged as the only ‘bidder’. That’s because he won’t be paying anything for it, apart from footing the bill to have it removed and making a $20,000 donation to local sports groups and charities. .He also owns a sports memorabilia company called Genuine Collectibles which will sell the fobs.The company is planning a series of “events and celebrations” marking its journey to an automotive centre in Mill Bay where fans and community members will have the opportunity to witness the transformation process, learn about the history of the stick and puck and be among the first to acquire “these unique collectibles.”He has also reached out to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto to see if it wants a ‘piece of the action’ and is reportedly in discussions with Tim Horton’s for potential marketing deals.
It’s gone into sudden death overtime.But the final buzzer is being sounded on The World’s Largest Hockey Stick — and puck — which is being dismantled after 35 years of adorning the Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan, BC.Earlier this year, the iconic stick was sold to local businessman Bart Robertson who plans to turn it into key fobs sports teams and church groups can resell for $20 a pop. Dubbed ‘A Piece of the Action’ each will be numbered and come with a certificate of authenticity.Separate desk displays will go for $100 each..Workers are presently prepping the 62.5-metre, 28-tonne twig which is to be taken down in five sections. Work is expected to be complete by the end of the month.“The decision to create collectible memorabilia from the world’s largest hockey stick and puck stems from a desire to share this iconic symbol with a broader audience,” Robertson says on his website.“(This) ensures the legacy of the stick and puck lives on in homes, offices and collections across the globe.”The stick was originally commissioned by the federal government of Brian Mulroney for the Canada Pavilion at the Expo 86 world fair in Vancouver. After the year-long event it was moved to Duncan where it was mounted to the community centre..The stick itself was made in Penticton.After the fair, the hockey stick was reportedly transported to Vancouver Island by barge and 3 flat bed trucks. It entered the Guinness World Book of Records in 2008.But the years have taken their toll. Parts have rotted. Birds have made nests in the Douglas fir implements. Rather than being a centerpiece for the town, it’s become a safety hazard.Costs to replace it have been estimated at $1.5 million-$2 million. After a community ‘consultation’ residents decided it wasn’t worth the cost of repairing or replacing it. Robertson emerged as the only ‘bidder’. That’s because he won’t be paying anything for it, apart from footing the bill to have it removed and making a $20,000 donation to local sports groups and charities. .He also owns a sports memorabilia company called Genuine Collectibles which will sell the fobs.The company is planning a series of “events and celebrations” marking its journey to an automotive centre in Mill Bay where fans and community members will have the opportunity to witness the transformation process, learn about the history of the stick and puck and be among the first to acquire “these unique collectibles.”He has also reached out to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto to see if it wants a ‘piece of the action’ and is reportedly in discussions with Tim Horton’s for potential marketing deals.
