It was a close contest, but Woolwich beat out Lincoln, Ontario to take a spot in the top five of CBC’s Kraft Hockeyville competition.
“We were pretty elated here in Woolwich Township,” said Graham Snyder, one of the people spearheading the Hockeyville entry.
Woolwich had 260,669 votes compared to Lincoln’s 256,746, a margin of less than 4,000. The race in Ontario was tighter than the Western region, where Terrace, B.C. beat out La Broquerie, Manitoba by 44,000 votes. The other finalist, Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, beat out Stanley, New Brunswick by 85,000 votes.
Snyder said the Hockeyville committee is working on strategies for the next round of voting, but the focus right now is on preparing for the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast that will be shot in Woolwich on Saturday.
CBC crews will arrive in Woolwich on Thursday to start filming. Former women’s team captain Cassie Campbell-Pascall and former NHL player Steve Thomas will be in Elmira for the broadcast.
“This is our one and only chance to showcase our community to the viewers across the country and we want to make a good impression,” Snyder said.
The Hockeyville committee wants people in Woolwich to “beard up” in advance of the final round of voting, with their own hair or fake for the folliculary-challenged.
“That’s a playoff tradition and we’re playing for the cup,” Snyder said. “If we can’t grow them, we get some enhancements of some kind. I know the minor hockey players will be doing that under their helmets.”
