Grandview misses ‘Hockeyville’ final
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Grandview’s bid to become Canada’s next Kraft Hockeyville champion has ended after the Manitoba community did not make the competition’s two national finalists.
Communities in Tumbler Ridge (B.C.) and Taber (Alberta) were selected as the final two contenders, moving one step closer to the grand prize, which includes $250,000 for arena upgrades and the opportunity to host a National Hockey League pre-season game.
Despite the setback, Grandview and District Recreation Commission chair Alia Marcinkow said the community is choosing to focus on how far it has come.
The hockey rink inside the Grandview Agricultural Community Centre in Grandview. The rink won Kraft Hockeyville for the Manitoba region, but didn’t make the final. Still, for winning at the provincial level, the facility received $60,000 for upgrades and new equipment. (Submitted)
“It’s disappointing, but we still made the top 13, and we won for Manitoba,” she told the Sun. “So it’s still a win … and the top two teams were equally as deserving.”
She said community support has remained unwavering throughout the process.
“Our community is 100 per cent behind the rink,” she said. “I’m sure most people are disappointed, but at the same time, they’re proud of how far we’ve come.”
The funding will go toward a long-standing priority, replacing the aging ice plant at the Grandview Agricultural Community Centre, a project estimated to cost about $1.6 million.
“For the last several years, we’ve been trying to fundraise for a new ice plant,” Marcinkow said. “The 50,000 won already is a bonus going toward our fundraising efforts.”
She said the $10,000 equipment grant will support players and programming, potentially helping those who cannot afford gear or enhancing training opportunities.
The community is continuing its fundraising push, with plans to install the new ice plant as early as this fall, she said.
Marcinkow said the project has already received significant backing through a provincial grant from the Government of Manitoba, though it requires matching community contributions.
Fundraising efforts include a dinner scheduled for April 18, ongoing 50-50 draws and an additional raffle planned for later this spring.
While the national title is no longer within reach, Marcinkow said the campaign has reinforced what makes the facility vital to Grandview.
“It really takes a whole community … even at the provincial level like this,” she said. “Our rink is a community centre. It’s the heart of our community in the winter.”
She said with disappointment that the experience has strengthened local momentum to complete the long-needed upgrades.
» aodutola@brandonsun.com
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