Hometown hockey tour comes to Selkirk

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This article was published 18/10/2014 (4216 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Selkirk is ready for its national hockey close-up this weekend.

The city, a short drive north of Winnipeg, is the landing spot for the Rogers Hometown Hockey tour. Host Ron MacLean, formerly of Hockey Night in Canada, will be on location in Steeltown for the Sunday night nationally broadcast game between the Winnipeg Jets and the Calgary Flames at the MTS Centre at 6 p.m.

The Lord Selkirk Minor Hockey Association, which boasts a membership of approximately 500 children between the ages of four and 17, will be front and centre during a weekend of events at the Selkirk Recreation Complex. Dennis Park, president of the association, said Selkirk’s inclusion on the cross-country hockey tour came three months ago, when Rogers contacted the city about being a part of the puck fun.

“It’s going to be exciting for the kids, and that’s what it’s all about,” said Park, who’s been involved in the Selkirk minor hockey program for 17 years. “The opportunity for some of them to be on Sportsnet, to see their friends on TV, it’s a big deal for them.

“Any time you mention the NHL and hockey on TV, they get excited. The Stanley Cup, the Winnipeg Jets, Sidney Crosby — it all gets them fired up. They all have the dream of one day being there and at that young age, the dream is still possible. This gets them closer to that dream — at least for a day or two.”

Scotiabank, a sponsor of the Hometown Hockey tour, is donating $15,000 to the association.

“Maybe we’ll put that towards some referee development or something like that,” Park said. “We’ll have to figure out where that money will go. It’s certainly a nice bonus for our group here.”

Selkirk is one of three Manitoba communities scheduled on the 25-stop Hometown Hockey tour. The Rogers crew will roll into Brandon at the end of November, while Thompson gets its turn in March.

In Selkirk, local hockey heroes will mix with former NHL players to meet fans and share stories. There will be outdoor viewing parties at the complex for both the Saturday and Sunday night NHL games. There will also be a children’s play area.

On Saturday, a Female Hockey Fights Cancer fundraiser is scheduled at the complex (2:30 p.m.), with the St. Mary’s Academy Flames Prep team facing off against the Winnipeg Avros, who play out of the Manitoba Female Midget Hockey League.

Tickets are $5 and all proceeds go toward the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation. Last season, the game raised more than $17,000.

“The girls turned the fundraising into a competition last year and I know we’ll come close to a similar number this time around,” Park said. “I know the Hometown Hockey crew will be there, too, so we should pack the place.”

Need more? The Steelers and the Waywayseecappo Wolverines kick off the weekend with Manitoba Junior Hockey League action at the rec complex tonight (7:30 p.m.).