Watch: Hockey night in Dorval
DORVAL — A West Island city combined playoff hockey and charity to offer families an alternative to rowdy bars if they want to watch the Montreal Canadiens play in public.
Dubbed “Hockey Night in Dorval,” the city showed game five of the Habs-Bruins series on a projected screen inside the Dorval Arena.
Tickets went for $6 a head, and while concessions included staples like popcorn, pizza and soda, no alcohol was served.
“We wanted to gear it for families, we wanted families who can’t afford to be at the Bell Centre to be able to spend a cheap night here at the Dorval Arena,” said Jean-Francois Huppe, one of the event organizers.
“We did this event in February for our winter festival, and people really enjoyed it, so they asked us to do it again for the playoffs.”
The families that spoke to Global News said they were relieved to be able to take their kids to see the game in a family atmosphere.
“With the kids, I wouldn’t go downtown,” said Joe Ranaldi, a father who brought his children to the Dorval Arena on Saturday night.
“I would stay local. I wouldn’t take any chances.”
Local mother, Sandra Rota, said that the escalating rowdiness in downtown Montreal concerned her.
“You could get hurt, there are riots that could happen,” she said.
Organizers said depending on turnout they could do the event again.
They said they hoped to raise about $2,000 from the night and the proceeds would be split between Dorval municipality and a community charity, in this case the Dorval Athletic Association.
Comments