SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Engineering firms came together last weekend to construct a replica of the Merv Hardie ferry and an igloo using some rather unlikely materials - non-perishable foods.
The construction projects were created during the third annual CAN you build Yellowknife? competition as part of Engineering and Geoscience Week. Teams from EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd. and Williams Engineering Canada Inc. participated in the event at Centre Square Mall.
"It was a great team building exercise," said EBA team member Kumari Karunaratne. "We had spent a lot of lunchtimes and after-work brainstorming about what we were going to build and how to do it. It was a lot of fun."
Teams had free reign over what they could design during the competition. Karunaratne said her team ran through quite a few ideas before settling on a recreation of the Merv Hardie ferry.
"It was one of the first ideas that surfaced and when we sort of looked at a picture it was feeling a bit daunting," she said, adding they passed on the idea only to come back to it later. "Lo and behold we were able to design a ferry fairly easily. There were a few challenges but we managed to get it done."
Meanwhile, members of Williams Engineering's team spent six weeks brainstorming and working on designing their igloo, said team member Paul Clyne. The design was inspired by the North and the seal of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists (NAPEG), the organization that ran the contest.
The groups also spent time raising funds to purchase non-perishable goods needed for the project. Together the teams collected about $2,320. The goods and remaining cash will be donated to the Yk Food Bank.
At the end of the day, Clyne said he was impressed with what the teams created.
"I really liked (EBA's) design, actually. I like especially the fact that they noticed that the top and bottom of the can are kind of a different shade of grey and were able to use that to their advantage in displaying their company's logo," he said. "It was pretty well planned I have to say. It's one of the better ones that's been in the competition."
This year competition was only open to members of NAPEG, the NWT Construction Association and the NWT Association of Architects. However, in future NAPEG will invite others to join, said Elaine Carr, chair of the NAPEG public relations committee.
The competition was judged by Mayor Mark Heyck Feb. 23. EBA Engineering won the honours for most creative use of product and juror's favourite while Williams Engineering won the award for the best use of product labels. The people's choice award will be determined tomorrow. The public can view and vote on the works at Centre Square Mall in the old barber shop location today and tomorrow.
