By Rosalind Russell – It has been 1,112 days since the Elliot Lake Vikings last played a hockey game in front of their hometown crowd.
The Vikings had to take a hiatus after the then Centennial Arena, since renamed the Rogers Arena, shut down and underwent major repairs.
According to Moose files, the team became hockey nomads, relocating games to Massey, but it eventually became too costly, and the franchise withdrew from the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League while the rejuvenation of the arena took place.
However, the community banded together, won the $250,000 prize from Kraft Hockeyville 2024, then came the Armstrong Family Foundation, with Jamie and Jo-Ann Armstrong stepping forward with a $300,000 contribution and a fundraising challenge that helped inspire residents, businesses and organizations to push the community campaign beyond $1 million.
The icing on the cake was when Edward and Suzanne Rogers stepped forward with a $3 million donation.
It is expected to be a full house for the home opener this Friday when the Vikings return home and take on the Espanola Paper Kings.
The game is at 7 pm.
Screenshot by Rosalind Russell
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