A magic carpet, an ornate fountain and a stairway to heaven are just some of the impressive structures on display today in the central court at Halifax Shopping Centre.
But if you want to catch a glimpse of these works of art, you had better do it fast. By the end of the day Saturday, they’ll have been dismantled at several local malls – and used to feed dozens of families across the province.
It’s all part of Feed Nova Scotia’s annual Canstruction event. Seventeen teams representing various companies and organizations throughout Nova Scotia spent yesterday stacking, fastening and balancing thousands of cans of non-perishable foods in an effort to create a large-scale sculpture of…well, pretty much anything.
“It’s going to be a three-tiered fountain, complete with spurts of water made out of tuna cans,” said Dalhousie University engineering student Jennifer Gough as she gazed at her team’s half-finished creation. “There are also some mixed vegetables near the bottom.”
A few metres away, April Schein and the MAC Interior Design/Floors Plus team were putting the finishing touches on a magic carpet and an accompanying magic lamp.
“This is a great opportunity to help people in the community,” Schein said. “We’ve been working on the design for two months.”
Brooke Ireland, a member of the Canstruction organizing committee, said the event is a great team-building exercise that will help boost Feed Nova Scotia’s stockpiles of food.
“I don’t think people realize how quickly (Feed Nova Scotia) goes through the food they receive through fundraisers or at grocery stores,” she said. “The food we receive (through Canstruction) probably won’t last until Christmas.”
The sculptures will remain on display at the Halifax Shopping Centre, Mic Mac Mall and Sunnyside Mall through Saturday. The public will have the opportunity to vote for their favorites by making a donation to Feed Nova Scotia.
