2 weeks Ago By Brett Nicholls
Residents of Crossfield are giving it their all as the clock winds down on the town’s bid to win a major upgrade of its aging arena. The town, 50 kilometres north of Calgary, is one of four finalists in the annual Kraft Hockeyville contest that ends Saturday night. Voting opened at 7 a.
m. Friday and closes Saturday at 3 p.m.
, with the winner to be decided between Crossfield, Honeywood Ont., Lower Sackville N.S.
and Saint-Boniface Que. “It’s a palpable buzz in town right now,” said Tayla Grochowich, director of fundraising at Crossfield Minor Hockey Association. “Every business I’ve went into today, there’s posters up,” she said.
“Our local doughnut shop has custom doughnuts. People are giving out free coffee. It’s just been so encouraging to just see everybody just jump on board with this for us.
” The winning community will receive a $250,000 prize to make upgrades to their local arena as well as win the chance to host an NHL pre-season game. Sylvan Lake won the competition in 2014. Previous Alberta finalists have included Cochrane (2024), High River (2018), Warner (2007) and Airdrie (2006).
The Pete Knight Memorial Arena in Crossfield has been a community hub for more than 50 years, hosting hockey games and other sporting events. It is home to the Crossfield Icehawks as well as the Renegades, a combined association of players from Carstairs, Didsbury and Crossfield. Prize money would go toward improving wheelchair accessibility at the rink, installing automatic doors, upgrading concessions and making improvements to the viewing loft.
“It would just warm my heart to make that spectator experience more inclusive and more equal for everybody that comes to the rink,” said Matt Chomistek, Crossfield Minor Hockey Association president. Crossfield Mayor Kim Harris, who has been supporting the bid since the town first began the effort on Jan. 1, was vocal about what the opportunity means to the town.
“It’s not just an arena. It’s how we we’ve met people and met other families and have made lifelong friends,” she said. “We are the smallest town vying for this in the top four.
We’re only 4,200 people. Most of the other towns are close to that 50,000 mark. So, I think our townspeople and our surrounding communities are really pulling their weight.
” The town will be actively engaging in rallies and events up to the moment a winner is decided. A rally was to be held Friday night at the Crossfield Community Curling Club, where the community can get together and combine their voting efforts..
