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Barry’s Bay – The Barry’s Bay Recreation Committee (BBRC) is inviting residents of five municipalities to participate in a new competition designed to highlight outdoor rinks people have created on their properties.
Dr. Jason Malinowski, chair of the committee, described their “Outdoor Rink Contest” as a COVID-friendly activity created by the group for anyone who may have a backyard rink, whether it be ice on a pond or in the backyard they flood.
“Entries can be sent to us by email by Family Day,” he explained. “We might even extend that date by a little bit, based on the entries we’re getting.
“It’s something people can do within their own household so that it’s COVID-friendly, given the stay-at-home order within their own bubble,” he added.
The committee is encouraging everyone to decorate their rinks in whatever way they choose.
“Some families have real allegiance to some of the NHL teams and they might have a lot of Ottawa Senators or Toronto Maple Leafs swagger on it. They can decorate their rink with that stuff and send us some pictures or a short video we can look at.”
There are four categories to the contest – NHL theme; Most Unusual theme; Most Ottawa Valley theme; and Most “Over-the-Top” theme.
Dr. Malinowski said the most unusual theme could be for people who aren’t NHL fans, the Ottawa Valley theme can be interpreted in many different ways, and the “over-the-top” is for the “Clark Griswold-type of people” who may wish to decorate the rinks with multiple strings of lights.
“We’ve been able to get some celebrity judges for our contest,” Dr. Malinowski noted. “Former NHL’ers Rodney Schutt and Larry Trader and the owner/coach of the Pembroke Lumber Kings, Alex Armstrong.”
Schutt, a native of Palmer Rapids, spent eight years in the NHL, from 1977 through 1986. The majority of his career was spent with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. Trader, a native of Barry’s Bay, played eight seasons from 1982 through 1988, with the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, and Montreal Canadiens. Armstrong purchased the Pembroke Lumber Kings from Eganville native Dale McTavish in 2019.
One winner will be chosen in each category with some “Honourable Mentions” as well.
The deadline for entries is February 15. The committee has received some entries to date but would like to see some more submissions.
“There’s a lot of interest from people saying it’s a good idea,” he remarked.
He said with the closure of the Paul J. Yakabuski Community Centre for the remainder of the season, he was hearing people were making their own rinks instead.
“They’re being very creative to fill the gap, making their own rinks and homegrown Zamboni machines,” he said.
He stressed the contest is not limited to hockey-related rinks, adding if anyone has created a curling rink that is also eligible for the contest.
The contest is open to residents of Madawaska Valley, North Algona Wilberforce, Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards, Brudenell, Lyndoch and Raglan and South Algonquin townships.
“There’s no entry fee,” Dr. Malinowski noted. “It’s another free service by the Barry’s Bay Recreation Committee.”
He said it’s been a challenging time for the committee to still provide family-friendly and COVID-safe activities for the public.
“We’re very grateful that people have engaged with us the things that we have offered,” he said.
Submissions can be emailed to bbrcmail@gmail.com