The deputy mayor of a Norwegian municipality with a sculpture that set off a mighty moose match with a Saskatchewan prairie city is to arrive for a visit later this week.
Part of her mission will be to attend her first hockey game.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 cool that my debut is in Canada sa国际传媒� the hockey nation,sa国际传媒� Linda Otnes Henriksen, whose flight is to land in Regina on Thursday night, told The Canadian Press.
Henriksensa国际传媒檚 visit has been dubbed an sa国际传媒渋nternational moose summitsa国际传媒� by the city of Moose Jaw. But Henriksen of Stor-Elvdal characterizes the trip as a chance to meet the citysa国际传媒檚 mayor and residents after weeks of back-and-forth headlines.
After decades of believing a highway attraction named Mac was the biggest moose in the world, Moose Jaw was toppled from top spot when it was revealed Stor-Elvdal had a silvery moose sculpture that was taller by 30 centimetres.
Tourism Moose Jaw almost immediately launched a campaign to reclaim its place by making Macsa国际传媒檚 rack a little taller.
What is it with 馃嚦馃嚧 trying to steal our proud 馃嚚馃嚘 claim to fame of having the largest Moose sculpture in the world. First Stor-Elvdal now this...
sa国际传媒� Michael Zatylny (@MichaelZatylny)
That said, Beitost酶len does look beautiful, and just got added to my places to visit list.
Last month, Moosehead Breweries donated $25,000 towards the cause while a GoFundMe campaign has raised about $13,000 of a $50,000 goal.
Henriksen said she decided to send a message to Moose Jawsa国际传媒檚 mayor asking if she could pay a visit. Fraser Tolmie happily agreed.
sa国际传媒淲e thought sa国际传媒� why not? We should get together and meet,sa国际传媒� she said.
sa国际传媒淪ince both moose have really been placed on the map sa国际传媒� a friendship would be good for both of us.sa国际传媒�
In a statement posted on the citysa国际传媒檚 website, Tolmie welcomes Henriksen and notes the possibility of building economic or tourism partnerships.
Henriksen believes the ongoing moose saga could open the door to a closer relationship.
sa国际传媒淲e are trying to do our best in order to make tourists come here,sa国际传媒� she said of Stor-Elvldal, home to about 2,500 people, in east-central Norway.
sa国际传媒淚 know that Moose Jaw and Mac the Moose and the Canadians are doing the same thing.sa国际传媒�
Her municipality is paying her way to Moose Jaw. Itsa国际传媒檚 her first trip to Canada.
She always imagined her first voyage would be to Vancouver or Toronto, but Henriksen has been reading online and says she is excited to experience a prairie city and to see Mac in person.
sa国际传媒淚 know itsa国际传媒檚 the friendly city,sa国际传媒� she said of Moose Jaw. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 very flat there.sa国际传媒�
Henriksensa国际传媒檚 almost week-long stay will include a tour of Moose Jaw and its historic tunnels, a visit to a school and a Moose Jaw Warriors Western Hockey League game.
Itsa国际传媒檚 been very cold in Saskatchewan and daytime highs during her visit are forecast to range between -15 C and -18 C. Overnights are to dip into the -20s.
Henriksen isnsa国际传媒檛 worried.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 from Norway. Itsa国际传媒檚 like winter here almost all year sa国际传媒� so Isa国际传媒檓 not afraid of the temperature.sa国际传媒�
Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press
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