hockey teams teams hit the well-polished ice pads at FishermanSA国际影视传媒檚 Wharf on Hay River last weekend to mark the return of the Polar Pond Hockey tournment.

Saturday evening (March 12) featured a special alumni night and live auction featuring political leaders, tournament organizers and athletes which helped raise toward a new electronic ice-resurfacing machine for the Town of Hay River.

The weekend was highlighted by elite hockey players supporting the international Save Pond Hockey organizationSA国际影视传媒檚 effort to raise awareness about how climate change is affecting pond hockey.

Former Edmonton Oilers Craig MacTavish, Andrew Ference, and Curtis Glencross along with Canadian WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Olympic -gold-medalist Meghan Agosta all added to the excitement of the event, including with their involvement in an all-star game with local players, March 13.

Ference, a Stanley Cup winner with the Boston Bruins in 2011 and former captain of the Edmonton Oilers, made a strong connection between playing hockey and the need to respectful to the environment as well as others.

During his alumni night speech March 12, he recalled his time with the Calgary Flames in 2004 and befriending environmentalist Dr. David Suzuki.

SA国际影视传媒淲e had a really good group of guys that cared about doing the right thing,SA国际影视传媒� he explained.

SA国际影视传媒淲e talk a lot about respect in hockey and how important it is to show respect for your teammates and for your opponents and for your community. At the end of the day, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 really how I see it as hockey players. We have a duty to respect our land and Mother Earth and to understand our connection to that land.SA国际影视传媒�

MacTavish said that he was happy to contribute to the live auction of memorabilia, play and support the sport and learn a bit about climate change in the North, too.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was a fantastic weekend and a lot of fun for everybody,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淕reat community spirit and it seemed everybody came out to the live auction, which was fantastic. It was well supported and we raised a lot of money for local charities.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is what Canada is all about.SA国际影视传媒�

MacTavish said some of the challenges the North faces as it comes to climate change came to him as a surprise, including the rate at which the environment is changing due to global temperatures.

Preserving pond hockey is important in reinforcing SA国际影视传媒渢he fabric of Canada,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淧ond hockey is great for the development of hockey players. When theySA国际影视传媒檙e out there playing, that is how you get good.SA国际影视传媒�

Town of Hay River

Several staff and town councillors turned up to take in the weekendSA国际影视传媒檚 celebrations with residents and visitors.

Stephane Millette, director of recreation said as with every tournament, the event is important for the community to have a gathering around sport and to welcome warmer weather.

But this year was special as it came after two years of Covid-19 gathering limits and was marked by the new icew-surfacing-machine legacy project.

He said the new device will make a difference to the town, but the final figures have to be solidified over the next few weeks before the municipality can make a move on purchasing.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e not confirmed on the climate sport initiative and their contribution but weSA国际影视传媒檒l have that figured out in the next little bit,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚t sounds like theySA国际影视传媒檝e got possibly some national or international sponsors that still may be chipping in.SA国际影视传媒�

Millette said the town is eyeing two companies at the moment and aims to have a purchase in the near term.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur two resurfacers right now are doing fine but we need to replace our main resurfacer within the next three years,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭o be able to bump up the schedule even earlier is fantastic.SA国际影视传媒�

Donna Lee Demarcke, chief executive officer of Northwest Territories Tourism was part of The Stanley Cupcakes ladies team.

SA国际影视传媒淚t has been a phenomenal and amazing weekend,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 have been so excited to be able to do this again and to have people come to Hay River to take part in this.

SA国际影视传媒淚 talked to quite a few people who told me that this was their first time to Hay River, that they were so excited to be here and said theySA国际影视传媒檙e coming back again.SA国际影视传媒�

Demarcke said the most significant part of the weekend was that Polar Pond Hockey was the last big event that Hay River had in 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic prevented most large public gatherings.

SA国际影视传媒淗ay River is also really good at welcoming people and with the few new people here that have never been before a big part of the weekend was being able to show them what we do and how much fun we have here and welcome them.SA国际影视传媒�