This story is Part 5 of a seven-part series, U of T Engineering in the City, running throughout fall 2015.
Alumnus David MacLean (CivE 8T5) has been chasing a big dream — one filled with many painstakingly crafted, tiny details.
For the past four years, along with business partner Jean-Louis Brenninkmeijer, MacLean has been developing Our Home & Miniature Land, a forthcoming interactive attraction that will showcase Canada through a series of scale 3D model exhibits.
“The genesis of the idea stemmed from a place in Hamburg, Germany called Miniatur Wunderland,” said MacLean, Our Home & Miniature Land’s vice-president and general superintendent. “There are miniature worlds all over Europe but I’ve always thought it would be neat to do something comparable in Canada.”
The cities of Toronto and Hamilton are currently under construction, but when the entire Canada-wide project is complete, it is expected that a total of 20 exhibits will be featured. MacLean said the cities of Niagara Falls and Ottawa are currently on the short-term list to build.
A team of model makers, illustrators, engineers and carpenters have spent more than 30,000 hours building the U-shaped exhibits in a nondescript, 370-square-metre warehouse facility on Britannia Road in Mississauga. Nearly every piece has been constructed by hand.
“One of the primary components of the design is that it’s completely transportable,” MacLean said. “Everything can be dismantled and will fit through a standard shipping door.”
The plan is to have most of the Ontario exhibits ready and shipped for a grand opening to coincide with Canada’s 150th anniversary celebration in the summer of 2017. A permanent display venue has yet to be confirmed.
MacLean’s civil engineering background has been vital to the project.
“I was the one responsible for the overall design of the concept including all of the infrastructure elements: roads, railways and bridges,” he said. “From a civil engineering perspective, I make it all work. Every square metre tells a story and has something to say.”
The Toronto exhibit includes a three-metre-tall scale replica of the CN Tower, an exact model of the Rogers Centre that spans four square metres, Union Station, Air Canada Centre (ACC), St. Lawrence Market, Distillery District, Bloor Street Viaduct (complete with a running subway on the second level) and a variety of Bay Street bank towers.
The attention to detail that has gone into each model is astounding. It took four months to build Union Station, 12 months for the ACC and even longer for the Rogers Centre.
“The Rogers Centre was built by one individual,” MacLean said. “It was difficult because of its a circular structure, but we also wanted the roof to be operational. Not only does it look great but it actually works — the roof opens like in real life.”
The Hamilton exhibit will demonstrate a steel mill in operation and will boast a scale model of the original Tim Hortons store — complete with miniature coffee and donuts.
So far, MacLean and Brenninkmeijer have held several open houses for invited guests, including school groups from around the region. Our Home & Miniature Land will not only be a destination for tourists, but it will serve as an educational learning centre. Students will have the opportunity to learn how a city works and understand Canada’s geography and history in the process.
“There will be a location-based smartphone app component that will send video links and exclusive content to your device based on the display you are looking at,” MacLean said.
Our Home & Miniature Land has already received approval and buy-in from the companies and organizations being depicted, including the big banks like BMO, CIBC, TD Canada Trust and Scotiabank. Corporate mainstays like Tim Hortons, Purolator, Roots, Loblaws, Home Hardware and Petro-Canada have also jumped aboard, along with The Royal Botanical Gardens and the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
MacLean said Our Home & Miniature Land is currently seeking financial investment from individuals and groups looking to contribute to the project.
Can’t wait to see Our Home & Miniature Land as part of Canada’s 150th anniversary celebration in 2017? Explore a photo gallery on their website.
