No joy in Nakusp, but still plenty of pride
By The Nelson Daily Sports
By Bruce Fuhr
The Nelson Daily
There’s no joy today in Nakuspville.
Or is there?
Despite failing to make the top ten in the 2011 Kraft Hockeyville contest, there remains nothing but “pride” in the town of 1800.
“(While) I’m a bit disappointed that we didn’t make it farther in the end, (Kraft Hockeyville) brought the community out and sparked a pride that hasn’t been visible for a long time,” Andrea Coates, who spearheaded the Nakusp bid, told The Nelson Daily Tuesday night.
“It was fun to watch it circulate around (Nakusp) as the Hockeyville wave caught on.”
Nakusp lost out to Mackenzie and Fort Nelson, the two communities selected from the Pacific Region.
In total ten communities were selected from throughout Canada — two each from the five regions, Pacific, West, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic.
Telephone and online voting now proceeds for the ten finalists until the deadline of March 13.
The five finalists in the Kraft Hockeyville contest will be chosen on March 19.
Then online voting from March 19-21 determines the grand prizewinner — $100,000 in arena upgrades and the right to host an NHL preseason game.
The winner is announced April 2 on Hockey Night in Canada. The four runner-up communities receive $25,000.
Since late last year Nakusp has been building for Tuesday’s vote.
The village submitted close to 500 stories and more than 850 pictures of hockey experiences past and present in Nakusp.
There was the Rally in the Valley celebration which attracted almost all of the 1800 residents to the Nakusp Arena.
“I am very proud of (community) as it pulled together and . . . reminisced, rallied and just plain showed our community spirit in support for this bid,” Coates explained.
And what about Nakusp entering the 2012 contest?
“As far as trying again next year? Ask me in November,” Coates replied.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
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