One of Canada’s points of pride is our ability to not only endure cold weather, but to embrace and conquer the cold. Although it is estimated that over 75 percent of Canada’s population lives within 160km of the border with the USA, there is still a great deal of the population that lives in the far north. In order to serve these northern communities who are often isolated in frozen environments, the Canadian Coast Guard has a fleet of icebreakers stationed across the east coast, including: Ontario; Quebec; Nova Scotia; and Newfoundland and Labrador.Adam Dodge of SLUG (and one of the coordinators of the Canada Buidls 150 project) has assembled a wonderful vignette that really makes you feel the icy environs surrounding it.
Adam really does a great job at using LEGO pieces to help the viewer imagine the vessel in motion. The build-up of snow and ice at the bow of the ship really helps sell this, as do the loose transparent pieces that seem to float along the cool, blue waters. It is often the simplest looking things that can be the most challenging to be build, and indeed Adam mentioned that the water and ice were some of the most challenging parts of the build, and took much longer to assemble than one might anticipate.
In regards to further information about the build, Adam quotes the CCGS directly in saying:
“The Canadian Coast Guard provides icebreaking services for commercial ships, ferries and fishing vessels in ice-covered Canadian waters, including vessel escorts, harbour breakouts, maintaining shipping routes and providing ice information services.
These services:
– ensure safe navigation
– prevent the formation of ice jams and flooding
– maintain open routes for maritime commerce”
Truly, without the valuable services provided by these vessels, many parts of Canada would be unreachable.
Canada Builds 150 