Community of Athens, Ont. applying to become the next Kraft Hockeyville

The Centre 76 Memorial Arena in Athens, Ont. is a staple in the community, and now, residents are hoping to score $250k for arena upgrades.

The community of Athens, Ont. is appealing for nominations to become the next Kraft Hockeyville, to pay for upgrades to the Centre 76 Memorial Arena.

Kraft Hockeyville is an annual competition between communities across the country to receive a grand prize of $250,000 for arena upgrades. It is sponsored by Kraft Heinz, the National Hockey League (NHL), and the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA). The winning community will also get to host an NHL game.

The village of Athens has a population of just over 3,000 and the arena has been a pillar of the community since 1976. The Athens Aeros of the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at the arena as well as local minor hockey teams.

But after nearly 50 years, the arena needs vital upgrades to continue serving the community.

“Everything in the arena is pretty much original,” said Athens Councillor Matt Smith.

According to Smith, the arena’s dressing rooms and washrooms are too small and haven’t kept up with modern times, as teams and hockey equipment continue to grow and improve.

“The rink is a pretty big hub for the residents of the township and surrounding area,” Smith told CTV News Ottawa Sunday. “We’re very fortunate as a small community to have a rink, most small communities like this don’t have a rink available for use.”

Centre 76 is competing with just under 400 other nominated communities across Canada, as Kraft Hockeyville’s nomination period comes to a close Sunday.

On March 15, the final four communities will be selected, with the grand prize winner selected on April 5 after a round of voting. The runner-up prize for each of the other three communities is $25,000.