It was billed as a chance to bid farewell to the old arena which served the community well for 42 years. A sea of people was the goal to Darcy Rosie who organized a final “Sylvan Lake Arena Commemorative Salute Photo” session for Tuesday afternoon.
As the magic hour of 4:30 approached, a steady stream of people descended on the back yard of the arena, in view of the collapsed roof. Organized in less than a week, messages went out to hockey teams, skaters and all those who had visited the ‘ol girl’ in the last four decades.
Rosie, high on a boom truck, directed the crowd and snapped pictures while others also captured the moment. Hockey sticks were raised in salute while in the background was a banner which is making its way around town, “Go Sylvan Lake Go, Hockeyville Fever 2014”.
As soon as it began, people quickly departed again as the -20˚C temperatures put a frigid blanket over the affair.