麻豆社区

In what could have been billed as a David vs. Goliath matchup, the small town of Fort Smith, N.W.T. scored a decisive victory over Whitehorse yesterday in a TSN contest valued at $25,000.

Squaring off for the right to host the Kraft Celebration Tour, Fort Smith amassed 253,022 votes during Monday's 24-hour voting period, compared to just 35,566 for the Yukon capital.

As part of the tour, which will see TSN host a special edition of SportsCentre in the community Aug. 16, the community will receive $25,000 to help citizens get back on the ice after a fire damaged the Fort Smith Centennial Arena in May.

Fort Smith, a community of 2,500, is located along the banks of the Slave River, serving as the gateway to Wood Buffalo National Park.

Local resident Pam Walsh helped coordinate the N.W.T. town's efforts in the contest, which saw participants vote online Monday. A Facebook group created to promote Fort Smith's cause had more than 6,500 members as of this morning, more than double the town's population.

"We are up against the capital of Yukon so we already are the underdog,鈥� Walsh wrote on her Facebook page just prior to Monday's vote. "But I have faith that all of our friends, family near and far as well as people just hearing our story will work hard to make this happen.鈥�

The community has earmarked the funds to build a temporary outdoor rink to ensure residents can get back to their favourite winter pastimes like hockey, figure skating, and speedskating.

"We were moved by Fort Smith's nomination and their resolve to rally together and rebuild the Fort Smith Centennial Arena,鈥� said Jack Hewitt, vice-president of marketing for Kraft Canada.

"This is a fantastic example of what the Kraft Celebration Tour is all about. We're proud to help Fort Smith move forward and get their community back on the ice so they can continue to be active in the sports they love.鈥�

The Yukon Curling Association was behind the Whitehorse entry.

Technical co-ordinator Wade Scoffin and executive director Linden Mattie put together a package that would see a variety of curling clubs across the territory receive upgrades including new rocks and ice improvements.

"You never know in these sorts of things,鈥� said Scoffin of Fort Smith's lopsided win.

"The advantage came to it being a small community, and they were able to rally around (their arena).

"We were joking that well, they must not have nothing better to do,鈥� he chuckled about the landslide vote. "We were still really happy to make the finals. That's a real accomplishment. The other real neat thing is that it has brought some really good, positive offseason awareness (to curling).鈥�

Scoffin said the curling clubs in Teslin, Mayo, Atlin and Dawson City each had requests in for upgrades, should Whitehorse have won the $25,000.

"Every community had a different need,鈥� he said, noting the hope was the contest prize money would help the association allocate further funding.

SportsCentre anchors Darren Dutchyshen and Jennifer Hedger are excited to take their annual television tour north of 60 for the first time.

"Dutchy and I can't wait to visit the Northwest Territories this summer,鈥� Hedger told the Star. "Neither of us have been there before 鈥� or any territory for that matter. We keep Googling Fort Smith and it looks stunning. One of the things on my bucket list is to see the northern lights 鈥� hopefully we'll get a chance to do that when we're in town.鈥�

Canadians will decide the other winning communities on the tour over the next two weeks. A pair of communities will be featured on TSN every weekday until July 19.

Voting is unlimited and runs from noon ET each day for a 24-hour period.