American town to beat record for world’s largest hockey stick built in Penticton

Penticton is about to lose its claim to fame as the place where the world's largest hockey stick and puck were made.

In 1985, the monumental hardware was manufactured at Structurlam Products to be decor at Expo ’86. Since 1988 the stick and puck have been on display outside of a hockey rink in Duncan. The Guinness Book of World Records confirms they are the largest of their kind. And "Canada" has been on the stick since the beginning.

For over three-and-a-half decades Penticton has held onto that title of manufacturing the biggest hockey stick and puck on the planet.

However that won’t be the case for long.

The city of Lockport, Illinois is planning to build a new rink that will exhibit an even larger stick and puck that will measure 250 feet.

Lockport council approved eight items in one motion during the regular meeting on Jan. 18. One of those items was a special use permit for an “ice hockey development,” where the record-breaking stick and puck will be built. It was approved unanimously with no discussion.

There’s much more enthusiasm coming out of the City of Penticton, where Mayor Julius Bloomfield says if the title is lost, it will only be temporary.

“In Penticton we’ve always welcomed a challenge, especially when it’s hockey-related,” he said. “And we’re used to coming out on top – we had the mayor of Nanaimo wearing a Vees sweater.”

Bloomfield said he will check in with council to determine an appropriate response.

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