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Canadian Chainsaw Competition set to carve path into ODAS Park

'It’s a thrill to hear all of the saws going. You can really feel all of the energy' says organizer of 'awesome' event that will run Sept. 27 to Oct. 2 at ODAS Park

The 2022 Canadian Chainsaw Competition is carving its way into ODAS Park next week.

The competition, featuring more than 24 carvers from across Canada, takes place from Sept. 27 to Oct. 2.  

“This is the first time we’ve had the event at ODAS Park,” explained John Kerr, the organizer of the event and owner of North Side Johnny’s on Highway 11. “Before the pandemic, we had this event out in Washago, but on a way smaller level.”

Carvers are on their way to ODAS Park right now from B.C., Alberta, and Saskatchewan to compete for $10,000 in prize money. Carvers will have to follow the theme of this year’s event which is bars and benches.

“It’s really neat how they put animals climbing up the bar,” Kerr said. “They will carve animals into the end of the benches, and it’s all done with chainsaws and sanders.”

Kerr believes the event will attract between 5,000 and 7,000 people over its six-day run which will also features food, craft, and wood carving vendors.

“It’s a thrill to hear all of the saws going,” he said. “You can really feel all of the energy.”

Attendees will play a crucial role in the event; they will vote for their favourite carve along with judges Ted Williams, Chief of Rama First Nation, and Debra Usher, the editor-in-chief of Arabella magazine.

“I’ve been carving for 18 years,” Williams explained. “It’s a good outlet; I call it chainsaw therapy.”

Williams says being a good carver takes strong attention skills and patience.

“When you are hanging on to a 12-pound chainsaw for several hours, it strengthens your arms, which helps me in my golf game,” he chuckled. “It occupies my time, it keeps me active, and fit.”

Williams says the Canadian Chainsaw competition is a good attraction for the local community.

“It’s something unique and different,” he said. “It’s loud, there are some good chainsaw carvers coming, and it’s going to be an awesome event.”

While judging, Williams says he will be making his final decisions based on how each carving looks, how much each carver used the chain saw, and the overall finished product.

Tickets for the event cost $10 per day or $15 for the week. They are available at the door or at North Side Johnny’s.

“We’ve been getting calls non-stop over the last few days from people looking for passes," Kerr said. 

A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will go to The Lighthouse shelter in Orillia.

“I watched them come from a soup kitchen with not a lot of property. They turned things around and built something very important," he said of their new facility on Queen Street which includes a shelter, supportive housing and other amenities.

Kerr says the Lighthouse is a worthy charity to support.

“They reach out and help as many people as they can,” Kerr says, noting that there is no current fundraising goal.


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Tyler Evans

About the Author: Tyler Evans

Tyler Evans got his start in the news business when he was just 15-years-old and now serves as a video producer and reporter with OrilliaMatters
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