World's biggest chess set is back and growing the game
When Dr. Bill Taylor started planning the 'Giant Chess Set Project' in Medicine Hat nearly 20 years ago, he didn't know just how much of an impact the outdoor board would have on the community.
Fast forward to 2021, and the jumbo set is still entertaining people in the Hat and serving as a meeting place for many locals in its 16th season.
"It has promoted the game in our community. It will never be mainstream like baseball or hockey in our community or some of the other sports that are well-played, but it will always maintain some interest," said Taylor.
Taylor, a diehard chess enthusiast and the president of the Medicine Hat Chess Club, has been a strong advocate of growing the game in the city since the mid 1980's.
After a long planning process, he had finally completed the first set in 2005.
In 2019, the board was expanded to 19ft, 4in on each side to claim the title of world's biggest chess set in the Guinness Book of World Records.
"It's hard to believe when you're holding something like that (world record certificate). You're hoping for it, but it's wonderful when it's in your hands," said Taylor.
Throughout the years, the giant chess set has seen a number of grandmasters grace the board and has even played host to fundraisers, dance competitions and an annual jazz events since 2007.
The set reopened to the public on Tuesday and is available to play for free between 10 am to 4 pm Tuesday to Saturday.
"When this chess set opens up, it's kind of a rite of passage that summer's arriving. It's just great to drive downtown and see people active and engaged and using this chess set, it's fantastic," said Medicine Hat City Counsellor Jamie McIntosh.
The set was made mostly by hand in Indonesia and each piece is made of solid teak wood weighing up to 55 pounds. In total, the set weighs more than 800 pounds.
The entire project cost roughly $50,000 to first get up and running, and a significant chunk of change is invested in the set each year for maintenance and repairs.
The project is funded through the generosity of numerous local sponsors and contributors.
The set is maintained by the CORE Association, a local non-profit organization that offers support and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
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.
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.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
'Oppenheimer' finally premieres in Japan to mixed reactions and high emotions
'Oppenheimer' finally premiered Friday in the nation where two cities were obliterated 79 years ago by the nuclear weapons invented by the American scientist who was the subject of the Oscar-winning film. Japanese filmgoers' reactions understandably were mixed and highly emotional.