The Buzz · St. John's Morning Wire

MUN students built a concrete canoe and think it will float, b'y

Deirdre Molloy-Waddleton — St. John's Morning Wire correspondent
Deirdre Molloy-Waddleton St. John's · St. John's Morning Wire

You won't believe what MUN students just made, b'y

Whaddya at, b'y — this is St. John's, oldest city in North America, and we're still here. Let's go. And lemme tell ya, sometimes da news out here is a bit heavy, like da crab prices or da situation wit' da Innu Nation. But then, every now and then, somethin' pops up dat makes ya just shake your head and laugh, and today, dat’s da bunch of engineering students at Memorial University. I'll tell ya one thing, b'y, dis story about dem buildin' a *concrete canoe* is purely St. John's, and it’s brilliant.

### A Concrete Dream

So, here's da crack: these students, right up on da MUN campus just off Prince Philip Drive, dey've been spendin' months buildin' a canoe outta *concrete*. And not just for a laugh, no. Dey're actually goin' to a national competition dis May. Now, I dunno much about engineering, b'y, but I always thought boats were s'posed to float, and concrete was s'posed to sink. But these young fellas and lasses, dey're all confident, sayin' "da canoe will float!" It's dat kinda Newfoundlander spirit, eh? Dat "we can do anything if we put our minds to it, even if it sounds absolutely mad" attitude. It's like watchin' a small boat brave da Narrows on a choppy day – ya just gotta admire da gumption.

* **The Project:** MUN engineering students built a canoe made of concrete. * **The Goal:** They're heading to a national competition in May to race it. * **The Belief:** Despite what ya might think, dey're dead certain it'll float.

It’s a real testament to da smarts we got here in da province. Instead of lamentin' dat all our best and brightest are headin' off to Fort McMurray, we got these ones right here, buildin' concrete canoes and probably comin' up wit' all sorts of other wild and wonderful ideas. It’s a good reminder dat innovation ain't just happenin' in big cities; it's right here in St. John's, too, tucked away in da labs and workshops on da hill. It just goes to show ya, b'y, we're not just about screech-ins and Jellybean Row houses; we're makin' concrete canoes, too.

Deirdre Molloy-Waddleton, MiTL Sports Desk, St. John's.

Ya gotta hear da boys on da Morning Wire talk about dis one, b'y — mornings.live is where it's at.

Deirdre Molloy-Waddleton

Deirdre Molloy-Waddleton is the St. John's correspondent for the MiTL Conversation Desk, covering the St. John's Morning Wire.

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