Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, June 9, 2008

HAY RIVER - A unique hobby of a Hay River man is on display for all to see.

The front lawn of Edward Collinson's home is filling up with 1:12 scale models of Northern-themed buildings which he started creating about three years ago.

"In the wintertime, it's something to occupy myself," said the 69-year-old retiree.

"I've got to keep my mind going all the time."

Currently, there are 11 miniature structures on the lawn.

They include a log cabin, a church, a priest's residence, a tavern, a store, a gas station and a jail.

There is also the frame of a modern house so people can see how such homes are built.

Collinson, who is originally from Ontario but has lived in the North since 1960, said the model buildings are not meant to represent any particular community.

"It's just any community from the log cabin up to the modern day," he said.

Collinson explained the hobby developed when he lost interest in writing poetry after being unable to get government assistance to promote his books.

"That's why I turned to the houses," he said.

This is the second spring the models have appeared on his lawn.

Last year, there were about a half-dozen.

The first models on the lawn were the church and the priest's house.

"This fall, I'll be going back to work on it," Collinson said.

The models are not a craft he creates to sell.

"I just give them away if someone really wants one," he said.

"I can't put a price on them."

Collinson said he gets lots of comments on the models from neighbours and passers-by.

"They just like what they see," he said.

In the evening, the town site is illuminated by solar lamps.

Collinson leaves the models outside during the warmer months and takes them into his house during the winter.

They have never been damaged by the weather or by people.

"The kids walk around and open them up and look at them," Collinson said.

Some of the models, such as the priest's house and the tavern, have hinges on the roofs so people can look inside.

However, Collinson said he is moving away from using hinged roofs because the constant opening loosens up the construction.

People look inside to see interior details, such as shelving in the store and pews and pulpits in the church.

Collinson said he has looked but can't find the right size models of humans to put into the buildings.

Beginning next fall, he plans to create more models.

He added he can get four or five completed over the winter.

"I'm going to try to get some more log cabins done," he said.

Collinson plans to continue creating the models despite having health problems.

"I'll make them as long as I'm capable of doing it," he said, adding it takes about a month to complete each one.