'A snapshot inside': Winnipeg man creates Lego version of final Jets game
A Winnipeg man pieced together a miniature version of a key moment in Winnipeg Jets history.
Scott Templeton has created an image showing the final Jets game at the Winnipeg Arena on April 28, 1996, using Lego pieces.
A closeup of Scott Templeton's Winnipeg Arena Lego design shows the stands and the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II that was displayed. (Image source: Scott Templeton)“When I was a kid, I used to build hockey arenas, but they were, you know, pretty, pretty small, lots of colourful pieces. I would write on the pieces with a marker to try and get more details,” Templeton said during a recent interview. “And I always kind of knew, later on, I want to, you know, build something big, you know, to a lot more of a higher standard. So, you know, it's about a year ago, I thought, hey, you know, I think it's time to go back at that idea and try to build an actual kind of scalable hockey rink.”
Templeton chose the Winnipeg Arena, which was demolished in 2006, because he enjoys history, and said the old arena had “more character.” He watched old broadcasts of the final game on YouTube, scoured photos and talked with friends and family to help construct the arena.
“I found that, pretty much, everybody had a different story, some kind of unique moment or unique aspect, and all those little things kind of helped piece it together as well,” he said.
The arena figure includes advertisements in certain spots, the banner saying “Our Jets Will Fly 4 Ever” that was on display at the game, and the Queen Portrait, though rendered in the style of a Lego figure. Fans clad in white for the Winnipeg White Out dot the stands.
“I built basically a snapshot inside,” Templeton said. “If you were to kind of pop your head in the middle of a game, or in this case in the middle of warm up and look in, that's what you'd see.”
Templeton worked on the project on and off for approximately one year, saying it took approximately 40 hours to complete, and has approximately 20,000 Lego bricks. He said finding figures in white has been a challenge.
He has shown the completed design at the Manitoba Mega Train Show and at a convention in Saskatchewan, and he is amazed at the reaction.
A closeup of Scott Templeton's Winnipeg Arena Lego design, showing the fans and the banner that flew during the final game. (Image source: Scott Templeton)
“There will be people that walk by, and just stop and smile,” Templeton said. “And you can just kind of tell they're just remembering something, remembering a game or concert, they're remembering something about that place.”
Templeton said he is open to displaying his project in public again if asked.
A closeup of Scott Templeton's Winnipeg Arena Lego design, showing the bench. (Image source: Scott Templeton)
Scott Templeton poses with his completed Lego design of the Winnipeg Arena circa 1996. (Image source: Scott Templeton)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 87.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
Why Kim Kardashian is being sued for 'knockoff' furniture
The estate of minimalist contemporary artist Donald Judd filed a lawsuit against Kardashian this week, claiming the fashion and beauty mogul promoted 'cheap knockoffs' of his furniture designs.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
King Charles will attend Easter Sunday service at Windsor
Buckingham Palace officials say King Charles III and Queen Camilla will attend an Easter service at the chapel at Windsor Castle on Sunday.