Tyne Valley disappointed after losing Kraft Hockeyville title, but still grateful

Tyne Valley, P.E.I., didn't win the Kraft Hockeyville competition, but bid organizers say they are happy for their Atlantic neighbours in Twillingate, N.L., and grateful to receive the runner-up prize of $25,000 for rink repairs and $10,000 in equipment upgrades.

Tyne Valley was among four finalists vying for the grand prize of $250,000 and the right to host an NHL pre-season game.

After two days of voting, the winner was announced during the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast Saturday night, with members from all four communities shown on the screen anxiously awaiting the result.

When NHL commissioner Gary Bettman unfolded the envelope and pronounced Twillingate the winner, the Tyne Valley group cheered the victory while trying to contain their own disappointment, said Rachel Noye, chair of the fundraising committee for the rink-rebuild project.

We've been known to accomplish some pretty amazing things.— Rachel Noye

"Obviously, we were hoping that we would have come out of it victorious, but Twillinigate is just as deserving," she said. 

"They had their story and their following, a momentum that was very similar to ours. With the Atlantic coast, you do find that the whole province rallies behind you."

The rink in Tyne Valley was destroyed by fire in December. Earlier this summer, the federal, provincial and municipal governments agreed to contribute $10.3 million to a new sports centre.

The municipality needs to raise $3.1 million as part of the agreement. Insurance covered much of it, but the $250,000 top prize would have been a big help toward raising the remaining $700,000 or so, said Adam MacLennan, chair of the Kraft Hockeyville bid for Tyne Valley.

He said they didn't exactly come away empty-handed.

$25K 'still a large sum'

"It's not $250,000, but … $25,000 is still a large sum of money that minor hockey will benefit from, as well as getting $10,000 towards equipment up upgrades, all the minor hockey equipment lost in the fire. So, I mean, we're grateful."

For Noye and the fundraising group, it's back to the drawing board. She said it won't be easy with COVID-19 restrictions in place regarding gatherings, but she's confident in the people of Tyne Valley.

"We've been known to accomplish some pretty amazing things," she said.

"We do have a rink to put together and we have minor hockey and figure skating to get back home and replace what they lost in the fire and get back on the ice."

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