If you think the Western Kings arena in Kingston would make a good candidate for the Kraft Hockeyville contest, Wayne Fowler wants to hear from you.
Kraft Hockeyville is an annual competition developed by CBC Sports and sponsored by Kraft Foods, the NHL and the NHL Players' Association in which communities across Canada compete to demonstrate their commitment to the sport of ice hockey. The Nova Scotia community of Salmon River was the winner of the first contest, held in 2006, and in 2010, the Valley community of Lawrencetown made the final five as the Wildcard pick. Cash prizes of $25,000 to $100,000 and an NHL game hosted at the winning arena are up for grabs in the competition.
Fowler is confident the Kingston arena has the “right stuff” to be a contender for the 2013 season.
“We have been thinking about entering for a while now,” said Fowler, who thinks the arena board’s investment in making the arena a “true community centre” and the recent failure of the arena’s ice making facility and the subsequent “incredible community response” that lead to a short and long-term fix for the problem is a story Hockeyville organizers would find interesting.
“We have as good as story as anybody, so this is the year to do it,” he added.
Fowler is seeking a team of people who want to take on the challenge of rallying the community behind the push for the Hockeyville title.
“We need to get businesses, schools and community groups on board before we make the decision to apply,” explained Fowler.
He has already had interest from some parents of West Kings hockey team members and Western Valley Hockey.
Fowler plans to get the ball rolling by contacting organizers of the Lawrencetown entry to “pick their brain” about creating a winning bid.
For more information contact Fowler at 765-6557 or visit the Friends of the Western Kings Arena Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/groups/115485085242290/?ref=ts&fref=ts
