Trout Creek is taking a shot at winning the top prize in the Kraft Hockeyville Contest and the opportunity to host an NHL pre-season game. The annual competition awards $250 000 to a deserving community for arena upgrades.
“This makes so much sense for us – especially this year” says Travis Tennant, who nominated Trout Creek in the contest. “In late 2024, I guess there was an inspection done at the Trout Creek Community Centre and the municipality was told that the roof and the roof supports are not really structurally sound any more. So, they had a few options – either replace, fix it up, or kind of shut it down.”
The municipality was advised that the aging structure may not be able to manage the heavy weight of snowfall this season. They have installed temporary wooden support beams, and the facility remains open. Travis says the cost of repairs could be as high as $2.5 million.
To win the coveted prize, the public is being asked to submit stories about their experiences at the arena and community centre, photos, and videos to the Kraft Hockeyville Contest website. Submissions are evaluated using a points system before voting and judging happens.
The community centre was built in 1972. Travis is rallying the community and all hockey lovers to support Trout Creek in preserving a piece of its history.
“I think that the arena was built by the community back in the day. Now you can see our community wants to help out now with this generation and other generations to come.”
You don’t have to live in Trout Creek to participate in the contest. You can go to the Kraft Hockeyville website here or use the QR code on the poster below. Be sure to check out our video for our conversation with Travis and to see some of the fabulous photos that have already been submitted.
