Stanley Cup coming to Nova Scotia July 16

For the second time in his hockey career, Sidney Crosby is bringing the Stanley Cup home to his community of Cole Harbour, N.S. 

The Sidney Crosby Hockey School broke the news on Twitter Wednesday evening.

"It's special. I think all of us, when he won the cup the first time, you're right away thinking, 'Oh my gosh, they're going to get it again.' And you know in your heart how hard it is," said Paul Mason, Sidney Crosby's former hockey coach.

Crosby is captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, which won the Stanley Cup in June.

Parade in Cole Harbour

The parade with the cup will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 16. It will start at Pope John XXIII Church on Colby Drive and end at Cole Harbour Place. Crosby will then go on stage for a question-and-answer session with the cup by his side.

Cumberland Drive and Forest Hills Parkway will be closed in both directions during the parade, which the municipality says is expected to last around 45 minutes. Parking will be restricted on both sides of the parade route.

Halifax Transit will be offering free shuttle buses from the Penhorn and Mic Mac Mall Terminals to Cole Harbour Place every 10 minutes from 7:50 a.m. to 10 a.m. Return buses will run from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The event will be pared down compared to the first time Crosby brought the cup home in 2009. Mason said it's really all about sharing it with the community.

'It's just very special'

"I know that's really important to him and not trying to replicate the first time," said Mason.

The Stanley Cup celebration is happening just as the Sidney Crosby Hockey School — which runs July 11-15 — ends. Mason said Crosby is in for a busy summer. Once the cup celebration ends and the hockey school is over, he'll be preparing for the world cup.

"I think seeing what they went through this year with all the ups and downs of the year and for them to win it, it's just very special," said Mason.

Visit the Halifax Regional Municipality website for full details.