“Let Your Fun Out!”
That’s the phrase Spirit of Sylvan Hockeyville organizers are promoting as they plan for the much-anticipated announcement of who will win the grand prize and be named Kraft Hockeyville 2014.
Win or lose, Saturday’s party is going to be a celebration — not just of Sylvan Lake and its supporters’ efforts to win the Kraft Hockeyville title, but also of all the Central Alberta neighbouring communities and minor hockey associations which helped Sylvan when the arena collapsed and more ice time was needed for league games and figure skating events.
Saturday’s activities kick off with a pancake breakfast at the Lions Hall from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., organized by Sylvan Lake Lions Club members. The price is $7 for adults, $5 for children 6-12 and those under six are free. Tim Hortons is providing coffee, juice and water, at breakfast and hot chocolate during the road hockey tournament.
Flashback Freddy will be providing entertainment at the pancake breakfast and elsewhere during the day.
It’s also the first opportunity to sample Kraft products, something that will be taking place throughout the day. At the Lions Hall, volunteers will be providing samples of Philadelphia chocolate cream cheese spread.
Then it’s on to the road hockey tournament which takes place in the east parking lot of Railway Park Promenade, directly north of the old arena from 11-1:30. Several divisions for guys, girls and adults are being organized. Contact Darcy Rosie (darcy@trilliantrealty.ca) to register. Teams of up to eight, first come, first served. Lots of room for spectators to watch the action. A barbecue is being held in conjunction with the tournament. There will also be cake and Kraft products.
Several food trucks will be on site at the multiplex during the day.
The Red Deer Royals marching band will lead a ‘people parade’ from Centennial Park beginning at 2 p.m. It will proceed west along Lakeshore Drive to Centennial (50th) Street then south through the downtown to the multiplex. Everyone’s encouraged to follow the band. Wear your jerseys and team jackets, carry signs to identify your group or your support of Sylvan Lake’s Hockeyville bid. For info contact Brenda Dale at bjoan57@yahoo.ca.
Following the parade, the focal point becomes the multiplex where West of the Fifth will begin entertaining at 3 p.m.
Organizers stressed the Kraft Hockeyville announcement will be made between 4:30 and 5 p.m. so if you want to be there to celebrate, get there early.
CBC Hockey Night in Canada film crews will be in town to record events leading up to the announcement, and live reaction from the community’s supporters during the television broadcast.
Entertainment will continue through the afternoon and early evening with St. James’ Gate and Boom Chucka Boys playing.
Graham Parsons, chairman of the Spirit of Sylvan Hockeyville committee, said the day will be a fun memorial to close the chapter on the arena.
“It’s almost like she had a life of her own and said ‘I’m going to grow this community together’, and she did,” he’s said in numerous interviews during the past couple of weeks.
Mayor Sean McIntyre has echoed the same theme.
The whole Hockeyville experience took people’s attention off the collapsed arena and focused it on a positive goal.
It’s brought the community together like no other project in recent memory, according to Parsons.
During Saturday’s festivities at the multiplex, communities and minor hockey associations that helped Sylvan through the end of the hockey and skating seasons will be celebrated. Fifteen communities helped supply ice to host hockey games and another eight for figure skating.
The committee is still building ‘Kraft Mountain’, a massive display of Kraft products that will be donated to the food bank following the festivities. If you’d like to contribute drop your items upstairs at the multiplex before Saturday or bring them to the event. Perhaps you’d like to carry KD Shakers in the parade with you to make as much noise as possible.