B.C. city prepares to stickhandle removal of world's largest hockey stick

The world's largest hockey stick is seen at Cowichan Arena in Duncan, B.C., in an undated handout photo. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout-Cowichan Valley Regional District)

DUNCAN, B.C. -

Vancouver Island's Cowichan Valley Regional District wants to know who is willing to take a shot at owning the world's largest hockey stick.

It says the more than 62-metre wooden stick and puck that has been attached to the east side of the Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan for the past 35 years needs more than a new tape job.

The regional district says the glue structure holding the giant Douglas fir replica stick together has decayed and must be removed to protect public safety.

The district says a public survey about the future of the stick found few respondents calling for efforts to repair or replace the prominent landmark, which was originally constructed for Expo 86 in Vancouver.

The district says its goal now is to seek expressions of interest from community organizations or individuals looking to make use of a large hockey stick.

Tom Duncan, the acting chair of the Cowichan Core Recreation Commission, says in a statement that the stick has been a community icon for decades, but he's excited to see where it will play next.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2023.