2009 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship Legacy Fund announces first recipients

Monday, June 7, 2010

2009 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship Legacy Fund announces first recipients

Local associations receive $159,900 from successful tourney

OTTAWA - The host organizing committee for the 2009 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, Hockey Canada and the Ottawa District Hockey Association announced today the first round of recipients from the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship Legacy Fund. The fund’s administrators have earmarked $159,900 for distribution from the $497,000 tourney legacy.

“Our vision for the world juniors in Ottawa was to make it the most successful one staged for all attendees, including fans, players, media, partners and the IIHF family. We also hoped to make it the most successful financially and to make sure the efforts of the host organizing committee and the many volunteers could be experienced for years to come” said Cyril Leeder, vice-chair of the 2009 host organizing committee. “We achieved our vision and surpassed even our own high expectations. We see through this first round of funding applications how the impact and financial legacy from the world juniors will go on to benefit our community for years to come.”

“The strength of the 2009 world juniors we experienced in Ottawa was seen in the strong support it received from our volunteer minor hockey family. Our community effort was rewarded then when we presented the hockey world with the best world junior hockey championship it had ever seen,” said Richard Waldroff, president of the ODHA. “Today, through the success we were part of, our members will continue to benefit and share for years to come.”

“We are very pleased to have received this funding, which will ensure that any child who wants to play hockey can do so — regardless of ability to pay. We believe that this will have a positive impact on the children who will be given the opportunity to learn the joys of being on a team and make new friends by playing our great national sport,” said Ann Mainville-Neeson, vice-president of the SouthEnd Minor Hockey Association. The announcement was made at the association’s home arena, the Jim Durrell Sports Complex in Ottawa. “We also believe our communities will benefit from having more children participate in organized sport and get active.”

“Under the leadership of prime minister Stephen Harper, the Government of Canada was proud to support the 2009 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship,” said John Baird, Canada’s transport and infrastructure minister and the member of parliament for Ottawa West-Nepean. “Congratulations to our young legacy fund recipients, and to the organizers who are making the sport of hockey accessible to local youth.”

“The Ontario government was proud to support the 2009 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa and play a role in their incredible success,” said Yasir Naqvi, member of provincial parliament, Ottawa Centre. “The tournament brought thousands of tourists to our community, generating millions for our local economy. As a result of this success, we now have a legacy fund that will go a long way towards ensuring that hockey remains vibrant and accessible in our community.”

“I'm delighted to see this funding being invested right here in the Ottawa region,” said mayor Larry O'Brien. “This investment will create even more opportunities for our young people to get involved in sport, and will make an impact in communities throughout our great city.”

The list of recipients sharing $159,900 is:

·         Central Hockey League: video equipment for broadcast and analysis - $40,000

·         Central Hockey League: uniforms for Pink the Rink fundraiser for breast cancer research - $3,000

·         West Carleton Minor Hockey Association: goalie equipment - $5,000

·         Eastern Ontario Jr B Hockey League: establish a fall classic event - $25,000

·         City of Cornwall and Cornwall Minor Hockey: rink dividers - $4,000

·         ODHA Development Committee: concussion forums to educate players, coaches, trainers and parents - $5,000

·         SouthEnd Minor Hockey Association: endowment fund to assist underpriviledged and disadvantaged youth - $20,000

·         North Dundas Minor Hockey Association: endowment fund for underpriviledged families, audio-visual training resources and renovations to establish an equipment loan program - $7,800

·         Rideau St. Lawrence Kings Minor Hockey Association: audio-visual training equipment - $2,400

·         Kanata Minor Hockey Association: expansion and improvement of a player skill development program - $8,300

·         Metcalfe Minor Hockey Association: rink dividers - $2,000

·         South Stormont Minor Hockey Association: audio-visual training equipment - $2,400

·         ODHA/ODMHA officiating program: re-establish an ODHA/ODMHA referee school - $30,000

·         Ontario East Minor Hockey League: expand and augment a post-secondary school bursary program for graduating players - $5,000

Many of the successful applicants have been able to leverage the grants with matching funds from other sources, which effectively turns the $159,900 in WJC grant funding into more than $275,000.

The 11-day event in December 2008 and January 2009 committed $697,000 to the ODHA and the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship Legacy Fund. The investment directed $200,000 to the ODHA, who is using it to fund branch programs and initiatives.

With $337,100 still available, the legacy fund will begin receiving additional applications for funding from ODHA member associations, teams and leagues in September 2010. The application process will be made available in September on the ODHA’s website (www.odha.com).

For more information, please contact:

Phil Legault, legaultp@ottawasenators.com

Brian Morris, morrisb@ottawasenators.com

Chris Moore, moorec@ottawasenators.com