Kirkpatrick expects Snowbird before snowfall

Tourism Moose Jaw's visitor information centre has been waiting a long time for the final stages of work to be done before the centre can display its own Snowbird Tutor jet.
"There have been so many people involved in each stage of this project," said Candis Kirkpatrick, executive director of Tourism Moose Jaw.
"We have been very dependent on volunteers to make this happen and it is a very busy time for everyone."
Volunteers who have taken on the work are doing it on their own time, which makes it hard to predict when the project may be completed, said Kirkpatrick.
The shell of a CT-114 Tutor jet is waiting in a hangar at 15 Wing and eventually will be mounted outside the tourism information centre north of Mac the Moose.
"It has taken a long time for this project to be completed and there are two factors that have held us up - volunteers' time and co-ordination," said Kirkpatrick.
Kirkpatrick said the creation of a precisely-made bracket, which will be mounted on the plane's underbelly, has taken longer than expected.
"The measurements have to be precise and all the correct adjustments have to be made," said Kirkpatrick. "Once that is done, it is just a matter of moving it out here and setting it up."
The Tutor project has been in the works for more than four years.
Kirkpatrick is hesitant to give a date when the Tutor will be erected.
"We have been saying all summer that it will just be a few more weeks until we have it," said Kirkpatrick. "I am pretty sure the Snowbird will be up before the snow falls."
The centre has been busy with the recent renovations to Mac the Moose.
"We just had him repainted in the spring and recently we had the antlers, hoofs and eyes painted and landscaping done underneath him," said Kirkpatrick.
The rocks have been built up around the statue to reach the bottom of the feet.
Next week, a new wrought iron fence will be going up around the moose.
"Mac is 25 years old, which is quite old for a moose, and we felt it was time to dress him up," said Kirkpatrick.
Kirkpatrick said she will be excited to have both monuments, Mac and the jet, standing outside the centre.
"It will look great to have both of them out there," said Kirkpatrick.

Colin Dewar can be reached at 691-1263.