Debbie Marson looks at a ballot box as Hockeyville Chair Chris Dawson announces a new marquee for Memorial Gardens.
After months of deliberation, poring over the community’s suggestions, and cost comparisons the North Bay 2007 Hockeyville Committee have reached a final decision as how to allocate the $60,000 Hockeyville prize money.
The committee truly wanted to leave a legacy to mark the Hockeyville championship and decided that the money will be invested in an outdoor digital marquee in front of Memorial Gardens.
Committee Chair Chris Dawson explained that they investigated a number of suggestions including upgrading dressing rooms, seating, paving and air conditioning, however, Arena Manager Cathy Seguin came back with price tags for all the items varying from $250,000 to $400,000.
Dawson anticipates having the Marquee up and running for the NHL preseason game.
The committee also announced how the tickets for the pre-season game between the Atlanta Thrashers and New York Islanders on September 17th will be dispersed.
Committee member Debbie Marson explained during a media conference Thursday at Memorial Gardens that a lottery system with one ballot per person has been adopted in order to offer everyone a fair chance in acquiring a ticket.
“Salmon River last year had 2,000 (people) we’re 90,000, we cannot accommodate every service group, special interest group, school, or anybody who asked and make it fair,” she explains.
“If we do one for one, we have to do one for all, so this way is fair for all.”
“People are going to assume they can do it (cast a ballot) more than once, but once your name is logged on the master list, either the non ambulatory, adult or youth category, it won’t show up again,” she states.
“So you are wasting your ballot and possibly if you put another name on your ballot you’re wasting their name as well.
At the same time Marson points out that the weekend is designed so that everyone at some point will have an opportunity to be part of the festivities if they are not selected for the game.
“It will be a Hockeyville weekend and the only time you need a ticket is just for the NHL pre-season event, anything else we have incorporated into the Hockeyville weekend and is open to the public as much as we can control. “
“We know we have the Stanley Cup all day Sunday we are going to have an event whereby people can come and enjoy it, meet the celebrities, the alumni, whoever we have access. You can have your picture taken with the Stanley Cup, get some autographs and enjoy it.” Chair of the committee Chris Dawson echoed Marson stating that the weekend will focus on community involvement.
“There is going to be a Stanley Cup showing, there’s going to be a BBQ, there’s going to be on ice clinics for kids, so there’s going to be a lot of things that people can do if they don’t win the lottery so to speak,” he says.
“There is also going to be things happening on the Monday I know in preliminary discussions and last year a few of the NHL players actually went to schools on the game day. I know they would like to do something on that line, certainly there are a lot more schools here then there are in Salmon River where there’s only a handful, but in the two days there is going to be a lot happening and it’s going to be all about hockey.”
Dawson is also thrilled with the fact that CBC crews will be in the city shooting an hour long special on North Bay. He says the special is not just about Hockeyville but is about the community itself which he says is really priceless.
The distribution plan process is:
• Tickets will be free, not to be bartered, traded, sold, used for corporate or private gain • Tickets will be distributed by way of ballot system • 1 entry per person (no matter the age) • Ballots will be drawn to accommodate this event’s arena capacity of 4048 accounting for all viewing seats; and non-viewing bodies (i.e. teams, team staff/personnel, media, arena staff, etc) • Ballots will be available through printed version in the North Bay Nugget – 9 insertions; or as a printer-friendly download at the following website: www.pondhockeyfaceoff.com/hockeyville • Ballots will be dropped off to ballot boxes at Memorial Gardens, Pete Palangio Arena; and North Bay City Hall from July 16 – 30, 2007 • Residents may only enter once • 3 ballot boxes will be combined and names will be randomly pulled • Residents receiving tickets to NHL Pre-Season game will be contacted and will have to pick up tickets before September 10, 2007 @ 5:00pm • Any tickets not picked up will be distributed through Memorial Gardens box office • Complete set of rules available at the following website: www.pondhockeyfaceoff.com/hockeyville
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The North Bay 2007 Hockeyville Committee held a press conference today at Memorial Gardens to announce that a lottery format will be used to disperse tickets to the Hockeyville pre-season game between the Atlanta Thrashers and New York Islanders taking place on September 17th.
The committee also announced that the Hockeyville prize money of $60,000.00 will go towards an outdoor digital marquee. Hockeyville organizers and arena manager Cathy Seguin hope the new sign which will be put up in front of Memorial Gardens, will be up and running by hockeyville game day.
