Canora celebrates hosting Hockey Day in Saskatchewan

Annual hockey day weekend event WATCH: Each year, Hockey Sask. selects one community to host their annual hockey day weekend event. Sierra D’Souza Butts reports.

Canora, Sask. — The Town of Canora will be the centre stage for Hockey Day in Saskatchewan come January 2025.

Every year, Hockey Saskatchewan selects a community to host the six-day event to highlight the importance of the sport and the community that comes along with it.

“Since we started it 17 years ago, so many communities around the province are using that weekend as a way to promote minor hockey,” Kelly McClintock, general manager of Hockey Saskatchewan, explained.

“It’s all about raising money to keep rinks alive, renovate rinks, and making the rink the hub of the community.”

From Jan.14 to 19, hockey communities will be travelling across the province to Canora to celebrate the massive event.

The initiative will also be a fundraiser to help support the town’s goal of building a brand-new rink and multi-purpose community centre.

"We're looking at growing with the community over the long term,” expressed Stacy Vangen of Canora Minor Hockey Association.

“Not only the ice facility, but having things like a walking track, a place to work out, and meeting rooms, those sort of things so that it can be an event centre that last many generations."

Currently, people in the community use the Canora Civic Centre as their local rink. However, due to the facility becoming older, the committee thought a new space would benefit everyone. Although no exact fundraising goal has been set yet, Vangen said “the sky is the limit.”

"We have a rich history of hockey, skating, and winter activities in general. Being able to ensure we have those activities for our community for years to come is really important,” Vangen voiced.

With the town having nine minor hockey teams and one senior team, along with active youth skating clubs, Vangen said the community is ecstatic to be the host for Hockey Day.

“It gives us the opportunity to not only to showcase our local teams and talent, but also to welcome others to the community,” she told CTV News.

“It’s an opportunity for us to build for our local businesses as we’ll have more people visiting the community and for us to be able to showcase what a great place Canora is to live, to work, and play.”

In addition to Richardson Pioneer being this year’s sponsor, Vangen said local businesses and groups have already contacted the board asking how they can contribute.

McClintock said watching communities come together is his favourite part about the initiative.

"I'll spend a few days up here and everyone comes together and so many people stay in the game, they give back to minor hockey. the community businesses really get involved,” he said.

“This really does pull the community together to support projects like keeping the rink alive.”