JC Parks sets sights on NHL preseason game
Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department officials are asking for the public’s support to get a National Hockey League preseason game to be held at Washington Park Ice Arena.
The arena has been nominated in the 2020 Kraft Hockeyville USA contest, which awards the winning community the chance to host an NHL preseason game and also $150,000 in rink upgrades.
Community members can participate during the voting and rally period for the contest over the next couple of weeks. People can also visit krafthockeyville.com to add or react to a photo, video or story, or to add a note about why Washington Park is special.
The nomination and rally period closes Feb. 29. The top four rinks will be announced March 22. Public voting will open again 6 a.m. March 28 through 10 a.m. March 29.
“Kraft Hockeyville USA offers us a chance to bring a once-in-a-lifetime experience to a much deserving community,” JC Parks Community Relations Manager Amy Schroeder said in a news release. “The teamwork and support displayed in the aftermath of the 2019 disasters is just one example of why Jefferson City is worthy of this award.”
Schroeder submitted answers to a few questions, which she called the nomination story.
Schroeder’s story highlights Jefferson City’s recovery from the May 22, 2019, tornado and spring flooding; the St. Louis Blues’ June 12 Stanley Cup win; and the sold-out Guns N Hoses charity hockey game, which raised $11,000.
“Hockey brought our community together that night as we celebrated the hard work and resilience that was displayed both on and off the ice that summer,” Schroeder wrote.
The Washington Park Ice Arena, located on Kansas Street, serves all of Central Missouri. The next closest ice arena is 90 miles away in Wentzville, Schroeder said.
Along with public skating sessions and skating lessons, the ice arena is home to Mizzou Hockey, Mid-Missouri Tigers Youth Hockey Club, Jefferson City Speed Skating Club, Missouri Figure Skating Club and Capital Classics Synchronized Skating.
The arena flooded in 2016, causing several hundred thousand dollars in damage. In 2017, the arena began staying open year-round.
To read the full nomination story and earn rally points for Washington Park Ice Arena, visit krafthockeyville.com/#/community/washingtonpark.
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