Stanley Cup gets light armoured vehicle escort during visit to Petawawa

hawn Allard hoisting the Stanley Cup in front of the Petawawa Civic Centre on Tuesday, Aug. 30. (Dylan Dyson/CTV News Ottawa)

Petawawa — It was a Canadian dream was realized Tuesday for Petawawa native Shawn Allard, who got his day with the Stanley Cup.

Allard, a skills and skating coach, won the Cup with the Colorado Avalanche this past season.

"I knew it was a real possibility when I signed with Colorado four years ago and the guys put together a great run for us," Allard tells CTV News.

"Now to be Stanley Cup champs and have the cup here in our hometown is really special."

Despite living in Kanata, where he and his family operate their hockey business Perfect Skating, Allard chose to bring the Stanley Cup to Petawawa where he grew up and where his parents still reside.

"I grew up here playing minor hockey in Petawawa and this is one of the great communities to be a part of," says Allard, smiling standing next to the Cup.

"People are so supportive. I was able to play some junior hockey here; started with the Smiths Falls Bears and then the Pembroke Lumberkings."

It's an accomplishment that's tough on family. Allard's wife Andrea says she only gets to visit her husband in Denver about once every three weeks.

"As Shawn says, it takes a village to win this type of thing," says Andrea Allard. "The family support that we have, my family, Shawn's family, it's just been tremendous."

Allard's day with the Cup started off at 2p.m. when it arrived at his late brother Ethan's grave site in Pembroke, where the Allard clan first gathered.

The Cup then toured Petawawa, making stops at each of Shawn and Andrea's parents' homes, allowing for pictures and family time with a piece of Canadian history.

"I can't believe it, it's just unbelievable," says Shawn's father Shane Allard upon seeing the Stanley Cup at his home. "I can't believe the cup is in my backyard. Lord Stanley is here and he is so welcome to be here."

The day with the Cup also just so happen to coincide with Shawn's mother Linda's birthday.

"This is the first time in many many years that all of my children and my grand children are together on my birthday," Linda tells CTV News. "And it's so surreal that Shawn is the eldest and this is the accomplishment, the hard work that him and his lovely wife Andrea and their family have done."

After family time, the Cup was brought to CFB Petawawa where Allard made a presentation, thanking armed forced members for their service. He was then escorted in a light armoured vehicle as the Stanley Cup was paraded from the base to the Petawawa Civic Centre.

It was there that the public got the chance to be up close with the cup, touch it, and take photos.

The event was also put on as fundraiser towards local sports initiatives and the purchase of a new zamboni for the town.

"We feel a very strong connection here and there was no other place we were going to bring it than Petawawa," said Andrea.

On Wednesday morning, a skate with the Cup event is being hosted at the Bell Sensplex in support of the Ottawa Heart Institute.

"The Ottawa Heart Institute was instrumental for me as a person because I played my whole professional career with a pace maker," adds Allard.

The family will then take the Stanley Cup back to their home for a final few hours before it hits the road again, this time headed for Montreal.