Hundreds packed Tumbler Ridge’s arena, a gathering place since February’s deadly shooting, hoping for a win.
It was not to be...
Tumbler Ridge, B.C. has finished second in this year's Kraft Hockeyville contest with the top prize going to Taber, Alta., but community members say the competition has helped lift spirits following a deadly school shooting earlier this year.
The annual contest sees communities across Canada win cash to fix up their local rinks, with the winner receiving a $250,000 grand prize and chance to host a pre-season NHL game. The runner-up will also receive $100,000 for rink upgrades along with $10,000 in new equipment.
The winning southern Alberta town lost the use of its aging hockey arena after an explosion last December.
In Tumbler Ridge, hundreds of residents poured into the community centre arena Saturday for a day-long watch party, filling the space with jerseys, signs and balloons ahead of the live announcement on Hockey Night in Canada.
Mayor Darryl Krakowka said seeing the community come together was a powerful moment.
He said watching kids running around and enjoying themselves was something the town needed, calling Tumbler Ridge a strong and resilient community.
Krakowka also congratulated Taber on the win and said that cash prize they are set to receive will still go a long way in improving the arena for local players.
Former NHL player Andrew Ference and Vancouver Canucks forward Chris Higgins also joined community members on Saturday expressing strong hope that the northern B.C. community would win.
Higgins said he spent hours on the ice with local children ahead of the announcement.
“I had a smile on my face for five hours. All the kids were laughing and having a good time,” he said.
“I think this people coming together and supporting the people that are hurting ... that makes everybody feel better.”
The community of about 2,400 is still recovering after eight people were killed by a shooter in February.
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