Allstone's inukshuk reputed to be biggest in the world
By Bill Rea

Joe Melo was flanked by Davenport MP Mario Silva, Mayor Margaret Black and Oak Ridges - Markham MP Lui Temelkovski at Thursday's ceremonies marking the new inukshuk.

Check out the inukshuk at Allstone Quarry Products on Highway 27 near Schomberg, because you won't see a bigger one.

Surveyor Zbigniew Zak or MMM Group went aloft in a basket crane (cherry picker) Thursday and verified its height at 11.377 metres at ceremonies marking the effort to get the structure included in the Guinness Book of Records.

"This is the record to beat," declared Viviane Burgess, who was emceeing the event.

Burgess said there was no such record up to that point, but it's now been set.

Inukshuks are stone landmarks used as a milestone or directional marker by the Inuit of the Arctic.

The structure weighs in at about 90 tons, according to details provided by Allstone. It consists of 11 pieces of granite, which have been placed in perfect balance so they could support the complete structure. The stones came from the Grenville Mountains, which are part of the Canadian Shield and were separated along natural layer lines with special equipment, as opposed to the usual practice of blasting.

Surveyor Zbigniew Zak established the height of the inukshuk at 11.377 metres.

A small pond has been incorporated into the project, because they are traditionally used as navigation aids on waterways.

The has been dubbed "Little Joe," in honour of Allstone president Joe Melo.

Several dignitaries were on hand for the occasion, including Oak Ridges - Markham MP Lui Temelkovski, who quipped that "Schomberg rocks on!"

"There's no better place to put it than to put it on Highway 27, right here in Schomberg," he added.

Temelkovski pointed out many people drive the highway. "It will be a tourist attraction for all of North America, and the world as well," he declared.

Mayor Margaret Black was in awe of the inukshuk. "It's amazing to even think about it," she remarked.

Davenport MP Mario Silva, a friend of the Melo family, was also on hand for the occasion.

"Joe, you have an amazing team," he told Melo.

Silva lamented a bit that the CN Tower has been surpassed as the world's tallest free-standing structure, but he was pleased to see this record-breaker. "It is definitely a milestone event," he commented.

He also praised Melo for wanting to honour Inuit people, as he called it a sign of respect. Honouring these people honours all Canadians, he said.

As well, he said the inukshuk highlights the beauty of the stone and wealth of Canada's natural resources.

Peter Russell, curator of the Earth and Science Museum at the University of Waterloo, said the stone came from a big deposit near Sudbury. It was formed some 1.3 billion years ago. He added it took about three months to extract the rock.

"Like Joe, the inukshuk is a gentle giant that stands proudly," Burgess observed.