I am providing a further update on the City’s support for the Hockeyville initiative.
City staff facilitated an interview today, by Roger’s TV, with Hockeyville organizers Mike Nelson and Derek Brodie at Exhibition Arena. Bob Burchett, General Manager Parks and Recreation Programming & Facilities, was also interviewed.
The questions focused primarily on how the public could support the initiative, why Mr. Nelson and Mr. Brodie had started it and what they hoped would come of it. Questions about the City’s role were very general and the City’s support for this as a community led initiative was stressed. No specific projects in Exhibition Arena were identified as being priorities should the campaign be successful.
The segment may run next week on the Roger’s cable channel but the producer/interviewer, Jan Hamilton, could not provide a definitive time.
The community that wins the Kraft Hockeyville contest (www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/hockeyville) will receive $100,000 toward the upgrade of the “home” arena along with the right to stage a NHL pre-season game anywhere in their community. Currently the goal is to be among the ten finalists nationwide. Based on the number of on-line submissions, which are not the sole determining factor, Guelph is running third in Ontario.
The organizers appear to be happy with the City’s support to date and made favorable comments about the City’s support in their interviews. They were very appreciative, off air, to Vikki Dupuis (WECC Facility Manager) for her help in setting up the Roger’s spot.
This should be nothing but a positive news story both for the community and the City’s involvement. Staff