Plans for Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada are coming together as the event in Owen Sound that will celebrate our community and the game draws near.
Hockey Day in Canada co-chairs Jim McManaman, Fred Wallace and Denise Reid spoke during city council’s meeting Monday night to share details about the festivities for the Jan. 18-21, 2023 event.
We’re just over five weeks out from the once-in-a-lifetime celebration in Owen Sound — one that was postponed last winter due to Covid restrictions and moved to 2023.
“We’re really encouraged and we’re kind of frightened. But we’re also excited for what’s in front of us,” Wallace told councillors.
The first public event to be held during the four-day festival will be Music of Hockey at the Roxy Theatre on Wednesday, Jan. 18. It’s a ticketed event and Wallace says the concert is “virtually sold out.”
There will be countless other hockey games, meals, school visits and activities over the next few days in the lead-up to the Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada outdoor festival at Harrison Park on Saturday, Jan. 21. Ron MacLean will be hosting the live Hockey Day broadcast on Sportsnet from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Harrison Park that day, when all seven Canadian NHL teams are in action across the country.
“That day they estimate 10-million viewers hearing ‘live from Owen Sound’ and ‘live from Harrison Park’ and ‘live from the Bayshore Community Centre,’” McManaman says.
Some of the events include a banquet hosted by Sportsnet’s Ken Reid on Thursday, Jan. 19, a Hockey is for Everyone Breakfast with Andrew Ference on Friday, Jan. 20 and, of course, lots of hockey itself. There will be games involving boys and girls high school teams at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre on Jan. 20. A Celebrity Alumni Classic will also be held at the Bayshore Friday evening.
A Girls’ Hockey Fest, a Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association game and an Ontario University Athletics matchup between the Waterloo Warriors and the Guelph Gryphons will be part of the festivities going on at the Bayshore on Jan. 21 — when the big outdoor festival takes place at Harrison Park.
The Owen Sound Attack will also host the Peterborough Petes in Ontario Hockey League action that evening.
A Stanley Cup Parade to Harrison Park will commence the festivities on Jan. 21. And McManaman says there are more than 15 activities planned to keep kids smiling and families entertained during the outdoor festival. Shinny and public skating will be ongoing at the Good Cheer rink at various times during the day.
A few councillors offered comments to the co-chairs of Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada, thanking them for their work to put the event together.
“This opportunity that we have is 10-million eyes focused in on the City of Owen Sound. And that’s absolutely incredible,” Coun. Travis Dodd says. “It’s incredible not just that 10-million eyes are watching the City of Owen Sound. It’s every single youth has an opportunity to take part in, whether it’s a skate or a workshop, all of these different events.”
Coun. Carol Merton: “There’s no doubt our communities have been through some really challenging times the last couple of years. And as I hear your enthusiasm, I can’t help but think how uplifting this event is going to be. And how all of us have such civic pride in what you’re offering and what’s going to be coming to our city.”
McManaman says there won’t be any parking available at Harrison Park during the outdoor festival in order to accommodate all of the activities and people that will be on site. He says there will be shuttle buses running from three locations: the Scotiabank parking lot downtown, the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre and the South End Baptist Church.
“We encourage everyone to plan ahead, make sure you have lots of time to get there. Because … there will be no parking at Harrison Park,” McManaman explains.
There is still a push ongoing for volunteers to help out during Scotiabank Hockey Day. There is information about how to volunteer, and the entire event schedule for Hockey Day on the City of Owen Sound’s website.