Fortune did not smile on the small B.C. community of Enderby — which, coincidentally, was originally named Fortune’s Landing.
On Saturday, the small North Okanagan town was in the running for Kraft Canada’s annual Hockeyville competition.
With a one-in-four chance, the community of 3,000 was vying for $250,000 in arena upgrades and the chance to host an NHL preseason game.
However, the Ontario town of Elliot Lake, population 11,000, was named the winner.
Both communities have arena problems: Refrigeration issues in Enderby, which saw the arena shut down in January; and structural problems in Elliot Lake, which saw the rink close in September.
The announcement was made during an NHL game. Nationwide voting took place Friday to Saturday afternoon.
Also in the running were Cochrane, Alta.; and Wolseley, Sask.
Kraft Hockeyville has been running for 18 years. Last year’s winner was West Lorne, Ont.
The last winner from British Columbia was Lumby in 2016, though the top prize at that time was $100,000.
That year’s NHL preseason game, which featured the Edmonton Oilers and L.A. Kings, took place in nearby Vernon.
Elliot Lake will also receive $10,000 in youth hockey equipment, with the three other communities also receiving $25,000 for arena upgrades.
Earlier this week, the Vancouver Canucks filmed a short clip in Enderby to support Enderby’s Hockeyville bid. Making the trip from the Lower Mainland to the area were former goaltender Kirk McLean and the team’s mascot, Fin.
The City of Vernon also asked area residents to vote for Enderby, along with Hollywood actor Lochlyn Munro, who has ties to Enderby.
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