The ninth annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Contest was a smashing success with 74 bridges registered – a 50 per cent increase from the usual 40 to 45. Sechelt Mayor Darnelda Siegers was on hand to open the event and award the prizes for Aesthetics, Innovations and Plans/Blueprints.
This was the first year of the Mystery Bridge kit and builders found four thin wood veneer dinosaurs in their kit. They could be decorated, and some were adorned with paint, sparkles and sequins, adding colour to the event. There was also an 80 stick maximum, 20 less than the 100 sticks allowed in the traditional bridge. Popsicle sticks were glued together with white glue and had to span a 50 cm gap.
The top bridges in each category were:
Traditional
Elementary: Kalum Neufeld - 864.5 N - 194 lbs
Secondary: Nicole Knight - 1,074.4 N - 241.5 lbs
Family: Kayla, Tyler, Carrie, Scott Evenson - 1,318.2 N - 296 lbs
Open (Adult): Stu Maxwell - 935.8 N - 210 lbs
Mystery
Elementary: Cael Read - 521.8 N - 117 lbs
Family: Family Louie - 240.3 N - 54 lbs
Open (Adult): Lisa Murata - 2,692.1 N - 605 lbs
Lisa Murata, 2019 chair of the contest, continues to hold the record for strongest bridge, set in 2013 and supporting 3,978.2 Newtons (894 lbs) pressure. Murata’s bridge was the strongest again this year, holding 2,692.1 N (605 pounds).
“It was rewarding after all the planning and extra promotion of the event to see so many bridges come in for testing,” Murata said. “We were surprised by the number and not set up for it and unfortunately some people had a long wait. Next year will be better with a new system in place.”
She also said, “I enjoy the contest because I see builders leaving the event, not disappointed with their results, but excited about how they’re going to improve their bridge design for next year.”
Building is often a family affair, with a Family category that allows adults and related children to build together. There are several families that come to the event with multiple bridges. This year the Knight family brought five bridges, one by each parent and both children and a jointly built family one, too. Nicole Knight had the strongest Secondary Traditional bridge.
The Evenson family, Kayla and Tyler and parents Carrie and Scott, won two prizes with their bridge: strongest family bridge at 1318.2 N and the prize for Innovations with a design that incorporated sticks carefully steamed and shaped into a ball.
Langdale Elementary again sent a small delegation of builders along with their principal, Duncan Knight. He runs an after-school STEM class, the Innovators Club, and this is one of their projects.
Elphi Secondary students filled out the Secondary category. It is part of the Grade 8 science program and extra marks are given for bridges that are brought to the event and tested. Astrid Beyser, the teacher who first introduced it as a class project, got lots of practice testing bridges for students who were at other events.
The event was sponsored by TechFest, Engineers and Geoscientists BC and Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC and could not have happened without the tremendous support from businesses and individuals in the community who provided funds and items for prizes and overhead. This is a completely volunteer run event and over 30 volunteers put in many hours before and on the day of the contest to make it and exciting and rewarding event.
– Submitted
