The group, which calls itself Lord Stanley's Gift, said it envisions the monument as a "national and international landmark for Ottawa and Canada," adding it hopes to find a "prominent" downtown location as close as possible to where the cup was first donated by Lord Stanley.
The group consists of local businessperson and founder of the Ottawa Senators Bruce Firestone, hockey historians Paul Kitchen and Jim McAuley, former Hockey Canada president Murray Costello, George Hunter of Borden Ladner Gervais, Welch LLP's Charles Logue, former Liberal MPP and cabinet minister Richard Patten, Ottawa Senators executive Jeff Kyle and Sylvie Bigras, the press chief officer of the Canadian Olympic team from 2010.
"I'm honoured to be associated with the citizen's committee to erect a grand scale monument to Lord Stanley's cup, given by Lord Stanley on March 18, 1892 to all Canadians, and indeed, to the world," said Mr. Firestone, when reached by OBJ.
"It's time to create something really extraordinary that every Canadian can be proud of, and what better place than Ottawa, the birthplace of the Cup."
Lord Stanley of Preston, the sixth governor general of Canada, donated the now-famous cup at the Russell House Hotel in Ottawa – located on the site of today's Confederation Square – way back in 1892.
Since then, the trophy has evolved into a national icon that's been won, drank from, left in a snowbank, stolen and found again, dented and even drop-kicked into the Rideau Canal, though the latter incident occurred more than a century ago.
Historian Paul Kitchen told OBJ that when Lord Stanley arrived in Canada in 1888, he observed a game of shinny for the first time at a Montreal winter carnival.
He liked the furious pace so much, six of his sons and a daughter eventually became involved in the sport.
Stanley's sons often played at an outdoor rink at Rideau Hall, Mr. Kitchen explained. But hockey in Ottawa reached the next level when in 1889 an indoor skating rink opened on the site of the current Faculty of Arts building at the University of Ottawa.
Lord Stanley, Mr. Kitchen explained, was a shareholder in that rink - the Rideau Canal Skating Rink, one of the first indoor rinks in the country.
Stanley's sons would then form a competitive hockey team called the Rideau Rebels, who played out of the Rideau facility.
"And all this inspired Stanley to contribute to the growing significance of the game," said Mr. Kitchen, whose recent book Win, Tie or Wrangle: The Inside Story Of The Old Ottawa Senators describes the original era of Ottawa's Senators hockey club, which dates back to 1883.
LSG said that after a site is selected, a national design competition for the monument will be undertaken.
It plans to unveil the finished product, which is expected to consist of a monument 10 to 20 metres tall, in 2012.
The group is looking for a site that meets the following criteria: 1) Located in or near downtown Ottawa; 2) As close as possible to the site of the original donation of the Stanley Cup, the Russell House Hotel, which was located at the corner of Sparks and Elgin streets; 3) An open plaza with an unobstructed area of at least 500 square metres, and surrounded by open space (which may include streets) of at least 4,000 square metres; 4) Unobstructed sightlines to the monument from as many public viewpoints as possible, and a photogenic backdrop; 5) Further consideration would be given to sites that provide an opportunity "to develop anciliary or related activities" directly adjacent to the monument; 6) Further consideration would be given to sites that permit the installation of active elements around the monument's perimeter; 7) Site must be conceived and designed exclusively as a pedestrian space; 8) Proponent should include details of their proposed partnership with LSG, to not only provide a long-term home for the monument but to be an active participant in its development, upkeep and operation.
The deadline for consideration of alternative sites will be 3 p.m. on May 17, and LSG said it reserves the right to reject all proposed sites.
For further information or inquiries, the group asks proponents to contact:
Lord Stanley’s Gift
c/o George D. Hunter, Barrister and Solicitor
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
World Exchange Plaza
100 Queen Street, Suite 1100
Ottawa ON K1P 1J9
Tel: (613) 237-5160
Fax: (613) 230-8842
ghunter@blgcanada.com
