Kraft Hockeyville: an “unhoped-for rally” in Saint-Anselme despite the defeat

DAY

The verdict fell on Saturday evening: the check for $250,000 given to the winner of the Kraft Hockeyville contest finally escaped the municipality of Saint-Anselme, despite a campaign of seduction smoothly carried out by the instigators of the project . 

National Hockey League (NHL) Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the result during coverage of the Ottawa Senators and Maples game Toronto Leafs from “Hockey Night in Canada”.

The municipality of Chaudière-Appalaches was beaten to the post by the city of West Lorne, in Ontario. It is therefore the latter who will be able to use the large amount to renovate a sports facility of their choice.

“It’s heartbreaking, admits Guillaume Fortin, the instigator of the project. It is certain that with the energy and the time invested, we would have liked to win.”

Demonstration

Even if the candidacy of Saint-Anselme came up short, Mr. Fortin and his acolytes were greatly impressed by the rallying observed throughout Bellechasse. 

“Often in the sector, there is a small war of steeples as in many other villages in Quebec. But there, people really rallied behind the project and we managed to get people talking about us for an excellent reason. Some told me they had never seen this in 40 years.”

It's not over

Far from being defeated, Guillaume Fortin is delighted to have, in part, enabled Saint-Anselme to get his hands on a check for $25,000 to make improvements to his arena built in 1978 and another for $10,000. for the purchase of hockey equipment and materials.

“We will find the necessary funds to renovate our arena in a different way. We will look at subsidies. I think we've made enough noise lately that a lot of people know we want a new arena. We'll see what we can do, but it's only the beginning,” argues the man who spent 31 of the 32 hours preceding the unveiling of the results voting for the candidacy of the municipality of 4,500 inhabitants.

Asked whether it would be possible for Saint-Anselme to try his luck in the next few years of the competition, Mr. Fortin said that he and his team were going to “think about this possibility”.

Got a scoop for us?

Do you have something to tell us about this story?

Do you have a scoop that our readers might be interested in?

Email us at or call us directly at 1 800-63SCOOP.