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.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 cool that my debut is in Canada B次元官网网址� the hockey nation,B次元官网网址� Linda Otnes Henriksen, whose flight is to land in Regina on Thursday night, told The Canadian Press.
HenriksenB次元官网网址檚 visit has been dubbed an B次元官网网址渋nternational moose summitB次元官网网址� by the city of Moose Jaw. But Henriksen of Stor-Elvdal characterizes the trip as a chance to meet the cityB次元官网网址檚 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 MacB次元官网网址檚 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...
B次元官网网址� 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 JawB次元官网网址檚 mayor asking if she could pay a visit. Fraser Tolmie happily agreed.
B次元官网网址淲e thought B次元官网网址� why not? We should get together and meet,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淪ince both moose have really been placed on the map B次元官网网址� a friendship would be good for both of us.B次元官网网址�
In a statement posted on the cityB次元官网网址檚 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.
B次元官网网址淲e are trying to do our best in order to make tourists come here,B次元官网网址� she said of Stor-Elvldal, home to about 2,500 people, in east-central Norway.
B次元官网网址淚 know that Moose Jaw and Mac the Moose and the Canadians are doing the same thing.B次元官网网址�
Her municipality is paying her way to Moose Jaw. ItB次元官网网址檚 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.
B次元官网网址淚 know itB次元官网网址檚 the friendly city,B次元官网网址� she said of Moose Jaw. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very flat there.B次元官网网址�
HenriksenB次元官网网址檚 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.
ItB次元官网网址檚 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 isnB次元官网网址檛 worried.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 from Norway. ItB次元官网网址檚 like winter here almost all year B次元官网网址� so IB次元官网网址檓 not afraid of the temperature.B次元官网网址�
Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press
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