We would like to extend our sincere thank you to Kraft Hockeyville and to our incredible community for the overwhelming support shown throughout our 2026 Kraft Hockeyville campaign. We are thrilled that we were selected as the Nova Scotia winner & grateful for the $50,000.00 prize we will receive.
No matter the outcome of next weeks Final Two selection, our campaign brought the community together. It was amazing to see so much support for our Hockeyville campaign, but it was not surprising. Thorburn and surrounding areas have always been supportive of the rink. What began in 1972 as an idea from a group of dedicated volunteers is, 52 years later, still owned and cared for by the community. People have a deep connection to the rink that spans generations, and fond memories and sense of pride brought you out to support our campaign. Thank you to everyone for your contributions. Whether it was helping to set up for our events, volunteering at our rally day, sharing our Facebook posts, or participating in our rally day activities, you all added to our success.
A special thank you to everyone who posted to our rally page. It was your wonderful stories that impressed the judges and helped us win for our province. It was nice to hear about how important the rink is to you and read about your fond memories and fun you shared there with family and friends.
Also, thank you to Steve Smith who, on rally day, perfectly captured our community spirit. Using five cameras and an iPhone, he filmed and expertly edited the footage to create a wonderful video that showcased the togetherness of our community.
Congratulations to all who participated to highlight their arenas. Pride in our rinks, communities and volunteers is something we all have in common, and we all should be proud that we have facilities that are so important to our communities.
This campaign was a great reminder of what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared goal. The arena is seeing a lot of growth in recent years, and it is the community and volunteers that work together to build a better place for us all. Hockey, figure skating, and free public skate times are still mainstays but now Pictou County Lacrosse, Golden Hawks Womens Fitness and Thorburn Pickleball all call the arena home. The arena also serves as a gathering place for community events such as the East Pictou Rural Fair, our annual Christmas party, and family celebrations.
Another message that came through loud and clear in the stories submitted was that people trust the volunteer members of District 13 Recreation and Planning Commission to use the prize money in the best interest of the arena. Many improvements have already been completed in recent years, including the installation of a new ice plant in 2023, along with renovations, repairs, and the replacement of aging equipment. While there is still much work to be done, this prize money will allow us to move forward with several important projects.
We are so grateful to be part of such a supportive and engaged community. Thank you for believing in the Ivor MacDonald Memorial Arena and what we can achieve together.
Executive – Randy, Jeff, Edwina, Carla
Directors – Lorna, Dougal, Lyle, Sarah, Katelynn
Members – Bernadine, Danny, Judith, Dennis, lan, Nicole, Eliza, Lisa, Doug, Courtney, Curt, Justine, Tara