VERNON – Lumby has spent months vying for the Hockeyville title.
All the hard work was enough to get Lumby into the final two in the Hockeyville competition and now the village is only days away from finding out if it has grabbed the top prize.
Anticipation is building in Lumby ahead of Saturday’s big announcement of the winning community.
“Everybody is so pumped. They are doing that big parking lot party on Saturday,” says village councillor Lori Mindnich.
By making it to the top two the community has already won $100,000 to spend on fixing up its local arena.
There are plans to spend at least some of the cash on upgrading the girls’ change room which many in the community liken to a closet.
If Lumby is announced the winner during a television broadcast on Saturday afternoon, it will focus a national spotlight on the small community.
Television crews are also expected to be in the area this weekend as part of the announcement broadcast.
“Definitely the mood is electric to say the least. Everyone is so excited to have our community broadcast live across Canada to hockey lovers and to just our friends and family who are going to be watching. This is a big coup for our village,” says Angie Clowry, who has been spearheading Lumby’s Hockeyville bid.
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Residents have been getting Lumby ready for its close up, with a group pitching in to pick-up litter.
“I’ve lived here pretty much all my life and I’m proud of it so I wanted it to look good,” says Cheryl Price who organized the clean-up.
The winner of the Hockeyville competition could hosts a pre-season NHL game, but organizers hope the long term impact is even greater.
“The TV crews are coming to town, they are going to be showing all different aspects of Lumby,” says Clowry.
“We are really proud and hopefully some big investor comes in and buys all the industrial land that is for sale because we have a lot of it.”
On Saturday Hockeyville supporters are expected to gather at the Pat Duke Memorial Arena for the announcement.
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