SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - It was a friendly competition with three entries - but, hands down, the food bank won.

From left, Jane Borkovic, Paul Clyne, Shannon Connors and Elaine Carr of Williams Engineering Canada Inc. hold their "can plan" which was a blueprint to their construction of the NWT flag in the "CAN you build, Yellowknife?" competition at Centre Square Mall Saturday. - Katherine Hudson/NNSL photo

About 2,500 items of non-perishable food were donated by the public as well as by the three engineering and geoscience organizations who entered the "Can you build, Yellowknife?" competition on Saturday to design and construct something tied to Yellowknife and the NWT, out of cans.

The competition, which took place for the first time this year, was held in conjunction with National Engineering and Geoscience Week. It took place at Centre Square Mall Saturday, and was held by the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists.

"We combined a design-build competition with the community event to get stuff for the food bank so we can spur on our creative people within the community to come out and help support the food bank," said Delia Chesworth, an organizer of the event and employee with the Department of Transportation who built a snow plough complete with a can-made worker and blinking lights. The snow plough won for juror's favourite as well as for structural integrity.

"We wanted to find something that represented (the Department of Transportation) as an organization which has a number of divisions: marine, highways and airports and the snow plough did the best job of doing all three," she said.

Meanwhile, a NWT flag took the prizes for best use of labels and best meal.

"The biggest challenge was to make sure the whole thing didn't topple over," said Paul Clyne, a team member of Williams Engineering Canada Inc.

Elaine Carr, who also worked on the flag, said "working with the different cans and finding that they're kind of inconsistent in their size, shape and especially the way that they fit together, and achieving the colours that we wanted, were also challenges."

The Con Mine tower had both under and above-ground facets and contained a full day's meal in its structure.

Chesworth said most engineers love to get involved with events that involve construction.

"The idea is to raise awareness about engineering and raise money and donations for the food bank at the same time and that this will continue for years to come," said Chesworth.

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