Mayor Hall and members of council join  Pioneer Log Home builders  around the new ‘torch’ – photo 250News

Prince George, B.C. –  “It is a representation of the region and a great piece for the Games” says  Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall as  he and members of council  celebrate the  installation of a special  ‘torch’ at  what is now Canada Games Plaza.The torch  is a hollowed out   400 year old cedar.  It  has become the  sleeve over a steel pillar inside, which holds the gas piping and the basin for the  flame which glows at the  top.   The root configuration of this upside down tree trunk,  resemble fingers of a hand .

“This is a project  we thought about” says  Games Host Society spokes person Mike Davis ” and Pioneer never once said we can’t do it, just the attitude to get it done.  We’re all about showcasing the northern story and  Pioneer Log Homes is all about the Northern story, so  we are so proud to have this as  part of the Games.”

The  wooden  sculpture is the work of Pioneer Log Homes of Williams Lake,  the  same people who are featured on the  television program ‘Timber Kings’.

Pioneer Log Homes  Andre   Chevigny says  the  tree likely  came from the Bella Coola area,  “A lot of the stuff we used  is laying on the  forest floor,  and since Cedar doesn’t rot,  so if the trees fall over  and lay there for 20, 30 years we can come along and use them again.  It’s a real honour to work with the wood.”

The  Canada Games  image logo has been  carved into the  piece,  partially  by chainsaw,  a router used for some fine work.

But this isn’t the only activity  taking place in the Canada Games Plaza.

Canfor  has nearly completed its ‘warm up hut’ on a space between the library and the  foundation for the yet to be built Delta Hotel.( see photo below), the art project  that is to be the vessel for rocks  brought to Prince George from all across Canada has yet to be  unveiled  and then there is the Canada Games Cauldron for the Games Flame   which has yet to be installed,