NHL coming to Queens County

Council recently approved a motion that will, as quoted in the most recent Queens Place Recreation Centre and Community Centre communiqué, “enable the Economic Development Department and the Queens Place Fundraising Campaign to pursue a unique and exciting marketing opportunity. “The concept involves the Dimestore Fishermen television show coming here from Calgary with several high profile NHL players to partake in and film local shark and bass fishing for their program.”

In addition, a celebrity golf tournament and possible street hockey game are in the planning stages. The show would cover from Caledonia to Queens Co.’s coastal waters.

Queens Place Fundraising & Communications Officer, Karen Gilmour says the cooperative fundraiser is still in the preliminary planning stages, but the events are targeted to take place between July 31 and Aug. 2, 2009. “We’re anticipating seven to eight NHL hockey players and to complement that with more local celebrities and that doesn’t just mean hockey players because Queens Place involves more than one sport. “Once we got the invitations out for NHL players,” she adds, “we can fully develop the entire program and exact dates of the components.”

Show Host/Producer Jim Hoey says dates have already been booked for the Queens Co. visit. He adds the invitations will soon be co-submitted with the Region to both NHL players and NHL alumni. A final decision on the invitees hasn’t been made.

Gilmour describes the initiative as a “win-win situation.” The show will not only air Queens Co. scenes and activities but the producers are also making a 30-minute promotional video, a Queens Place video as well as two shows that would soon be utilized by the Region.

This, of course, Gilmour says will promote both tourism – at the events and in the future - and possibly attract development to the area.

Gilmour says Region of Queens Department of Economic Development Director, Brian Baker provided the connection. While employed out west, he worked on a similar event with Hoey. However, not many elite athletes were involved.

Baker says Hoey’s connections are huge and include big music industry artists, for example, in addition to his sportsfishing athletic friends. He says the Queens fundraiser/economic development opportunity could expand as a result. For example, he says, some hockey greats from the past as well as up and coming stars might be attracted to the event. However, he says he is only speculating at this point.

In addition, Baker says the Region couldn’t afford the marketing budget needed for this kind of opportunity, one that will reach audiences across North American and overseas. “I think it’s going to be fun. My goal is to pull something off that is fun, entertaining and will put us on the map.”

Gilmour agrees. In terms of fundraising, she says Region staff believe ticket sales and corporate sponsorships will be large, as it is expected to attract many people and dollars from outside the community for the recreation centre.

An opportunity to utilize imported funds is obviously important, she says.

A meeting with Dimestore officials will be held this month to help finalize the show details.

The Dimestore website states, “The Dimestore Fishermen is an action packed half hour television fishing program that airs at various times throughout North America weekly. The program takes viewers on a tour of some of the very best in Lake, Ocean, River and Ice fishing locations Canada has to offer. The Dimestore Fishermen episode features focus on exposing the history, cultural and recreational aspects of the great Canadian communities the program visits.”

The show has been on the air for about 10 years in both the United States and Canada. The international award-winning program is the seventh most popular fishing show in North America.