By Ronald Quaroni

P.A. listed as must-visit hockey town

Jan 14, 2019 | 1:00 PM

What do Vancouver, Minneapolis, Detroit and Prince Albert have in common?

They’re all listed as ‘Must-Visit Hockey Towns’ in North America according to Expedia.

Bruce Vance, marketing and sponsorship coordinator with the City of Prince Albert, said the recognition should go to local organizations and volunteers.

“It’s a great honour for our city to get very positive recognition and being listed as one of the top cities in North America to visit for hockey,” he said. “It just speaks volumes to the different associations we have here.”

Vance said the availability of natural ice, passion for hockey, and hard work by community organizations and volunteers have all helped Prince Albert become a city known for the sport.

WORLD SOFTBALL

Group stages officially set for Men's Softball World Cup in P.A.

3h ago

Safety first

Safety concerns and tips surrounding discarded needles in P.A.

21h ago

Liquor stores must change hours

Prince Albert limits liquor store hours

Apr 23, 2024

The Expedia article specifically listed Kinsmen Arena, the Art Hauser Centre, and the Prince Albert Mintos as reasons to visit the city. The “scrappy” Mintos team also makes for some great sports entertainment. 

James Mays with Prince Albert Minor Hockey said the city has nice rinks and a great hockey atmosphere. 

“There’s some major league centres on that list, and it’s nice to get that recognition,” Mays said. “We’ve got kind of a neat little niche in the hockey market I guess with our community club rinks. A lot of people come here.”

The main attraction, according to the Expedia article is the city’s WHL team.

Raiders’ Manager of Communications Brett Smith said being included on the list was pretty cool and there are lots of people to thank.

“There’s a lot of great communities on the list, big and small. I think it’s just a credit to not only our fans who support all levels of hockey but also all of our volunteers,” Smith said. “Specifically with us, we couldn’t run our game nights without a large group of volunteers. I mean they’re pretty much the gas that makes our car run here.”

The Prince Albert Raiders are enjoying one of their best years on record. To date the team posted a win loss record of 37-5-1.

Other Canadian cities noted for their hockey atmosphere include Saskatoon, Edmonton and Kingston. 

ron.quaroni@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @RonaldQuaroni