The Arborg & District Arena is vying for the 2025 Kraft Hockeyville grand prize of $250,000 and is inviting area residents to get in the game by sharing stories, photos or videos about their connection to hockey – and to their beloved arena – by March 2.
The Arborg arena, which was built in 1988, has its own page on hockeyville’s website where people can post their submissions and carry out other “rally” activities such as notes to earn the arena points. Stories earn the arena 10 rally points, photos earn 3 points and notes earn 1 point.
Kraft Hockeyville is a competition that aims to find a Canadian hockey community that stands out above the rest and rallies people to come together to protect the future of hockey across the nation. The winning community will get $250,000 to upgrade and improve their facility and also host an NHL pre-season game.
There are a number of Arborg arena entries already posted on the website, including one from Tom.
“Arborg’s support & passion for hockey goes together like a great dinner of KD topped with Heinz Ketchup!” he wrote. “The game of hockey has been played in Arborg for generations, the spirit & passion is just as strong now as it was then.”
And Noah wrote that the arena always felt like a “second home” and that it resembles a football stadium on Friday night with people packing the rafters for a game showcasing the Arborg Ice Dawgs, a team that’s the “heart of our town.”
The Arborg arena is described as a “hub” of activity for town and area residents. It can seat 800 people and has an NHL-sized ice surface. It’s home to Arborg Minor Hockey, the Arborg Ice Dawgs Junior B Hockey Club and the Arborg Skating Club. It’s used by a 40-plus recreation hockey league, offers public skating and hosts a program for girls and boys aged 4-7 with NHL goalie James Reimer.
Upgrades to arenas are not cheap. A pump upgrade a few years ago cost Arborg over $30,000. The arena currently needs to upgrade a condenser, compressor and other components.
The hockeyville competition is open to legal residents of Canada aged 14 and older, according to the rules. The contest opened on Jan. 1 and closes on March 2. Judging will start on March 3 and run until March 15. The Top 4 will be announced on March 15. Voting will take place on April 4 and 5 with the winner announced on April 5.
Visit the Kraft Hockeyville website at www.krafthockeyville.ca and use the search feature to find the Arborg & District Arena. Once you’re on the Arborg page, follow onscreen instructions to register then follow the links to post your submission. The website provides three questions which people can use to write or record their stories.
For more information about the competition, call the Arborg arena at (204) 376-5576.
