Everyone – from the TV hosts to the former NHL stars to the public to the mayor – was impressed with Vernon for the Rogers Hometown Hockey weekend.
The weekend staple of Sportsnet’s NHL broadcasts every Sunday put the spotlight on Vernon this past weekend, the latest in its 24-city, cross-country tour during the NHL season.
“Rogers Hometown Hockey was an outstanding success for the Greater Vernon area as it put us in the limelight,” said Vernon Mayor Akbal Mund.
“Being broadcast right across the country showcasing our community increases our exposure on the incredible area we reside in. Having (co-hosts MacLean and Slone) Ron and Tara speaking about our community is priceless.”
Hundreds crowded into Spirit Square at Vernon City Hall Sunday for the wrap of the Rogers Hometown Hockey weekend, which was the live broadcast prior to the NHL game on Sportsnet between the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks.
Co-hosts Ron MacLean and Tara Slone hosted a half-hour pre-game show that included vignettes of Vernon and interviews with former NHL stars Dean McAmmond (who has lived in Vernon for 17 years) and Vernon native Brent Gilchrist.
The pre-game show also included a clip of Slone learning to ski at Silver Star Mountain Resort with Sportsnet baseball analyst Gregg Zaun and Silver Star ski instructor Tabitha Smith. Zaun, a World Series champion, was born in California but married a woman from Kelowna and now lives in the Okanagan, skiing for the past five years at Big White.
The story of Vernon-born Larry Kwong, the first Asian-Canadian to play in the NHL in 1948, was featured during the intermissions. MacLean said Kwong was watching the show from his home in Calgary.
Greater Vernon Minor Hockey selected two midget house league players to choose the three stars from the game broadcast (Chicago beat Vancouver 4-2).
Alyssa Racine and Nick Mann, both of whom were interviewed by the hosts on live TV, selected Chicago captain Jonathan Toews as first star; Vancouver’s Bo Horvat as second star; and Chicago forward Patrick Kane as third star.
City hall was packed both Saturday and Sunday for the Rogers Hometown Hockey weekend, taking in events at the Rogers Fan Hub, Rogers NHL Viewing Room, Scotiabank Community Locker Room, The Dodge Family Zone, McDonald’s Ball Hockey Rink, Playmobil and the Dr. Oetker Giuseppe Pizzaria.
“It was awesome,” said James Lehoux, 10, a Grade 5 Silver Star Elementary student, who attended the event with his family.
“I liked the photo booth where you could get a picture taken with your favorite hockey player (Lehoux picked Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara because his favourite player, Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin, was not among the virtual photo choices).”
Lianne Tuton and Becky McLennan, hockey moms, were outside the ball hockey rink where their kids spent a good portion of the weekend.
“I’ve got my daughter here playing with her team,” said McLennan. “My son was down yesterday, measuring how fast his shot was and getting a jersey autographed.” (NHL stars Russ Courtnall and Kirk McLean, both former Canucks, were signing autographs throughout the weekend. Courtnall appeared on the pre-game broadcast. He was a road roommate with Gilchrist when both played for the Montreal Canadiens.)
Tuton was impressed by how the community connected with Hometown Hockey.
“It’s quite the production,” she said. “There’s a lot of people out; lots of kids having fun. I think it’s good for the community to have everybody in one spot.”
The community got props from the mayor.
“Thank you to all the volunteers, sponsors, and the Rogers Hometown Hockey staff for making this event possible,” said Mund.
“It was great to see all the kids having fun, and it was great talking with the residents who suggested we close down the streets more often and have events downtown. Overall the event was well organized and run.”