911 face-off between Barrie police and firefighters

911 Crosstown Hockey Classic pits firefighters against police officers in a charity hockey game with donations going to Hospice Simcoe.

Police and firefighters are picking up sticks: all for a good cause.

Barrie Police Service officers will take to the ice against Barrie Fire and Emergency Service’s firefighters to help out a local charity.

“We usually see each other at a crisis scene, and it’s not really the time to socialize,” said Barrie Police Const. Brad Traves, one of the organizers of the inaugural 911 Crosstown Classic, an action-packed charity game at the Sadlon Arena on Tues. April 8 at 6 p.m. “We believe that bringing the culture together, standing side by side and unifying us, in the name of charity for the community is what it’s all about.”

Proceeds will be going to Hospice Simcoe, a charity dedicated to providing compassionate end-of-life care for individuals in Simcoe County.

Donations will also be accepted night of for the Barrie Food Bank.

Traves has been brainstorming the idea for decades, alongside his longtime friend Ryan Frechette, an acting captain with Barrie Fire and Emergency Services.

“My grandparents, parents and myself are all born and raised in Barrie and as much as I like the growth of Barrie, I kind of miss the small town feel,” said Frechette. “Nothing gets more dramatic than the crosstown rivalry of the police and the fire department! And we’re all hockey fans here in Barrie, so we thought it’d be a perfect match.”

The two longtime friends acknowledge a longstanding but good-natured. feud between firefighters and police officers.

“The guys and I are a bit worried because Brad sent me a recipe...he found some protein infused donuts,” Frechette said to CTV News in jest. “So we’re really worried they’re going to be over nourished.”

With some anecdotal shots of his own, Traves says the lighthearted rivalry is really quite simple.

“I think at the heart of everything here that we’re just jealous. The police are jealous of fire,” Traves jokes. “I said it...I said it out loud!”

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The event expects to bring a large crowd of supporters, including residents, first responders, and community leaders.

For more information on how to get tickets you can click here.

With files from CTV’s Cheryl Browne.