Dozens of little bright lights twinkled on the city hall Rink of Dreams during the NHL All-Star Game weekend, as young skaters took part in the first Energizer Night Skate.
Originally planned to be a five-kilometre course on the Rideau Canal, organizers were forced to relocate the event to the newly completed skating rink after warm weather closed the NCC skateway.
“It’s Canada’s capital and I mean it was raining and then it was snowing and now it’s a beautiful evening here. And I just think that’s part of what a Canadian winter is,” said Danielle Robinson, president of the Sens Foundation, the charitable arm of the Ottawa Senators.
However, Ottawa’s newest outdoor rink only has a capacity of 250 people, so moving the event to the Rink of Dreams put limitations on who was allowed to participate.
P.J. Stock, a Hockey Night in Canada personality and the celebrity MC for the evening, announced to crowds of people wearing NHL jerseys and pink Energizer bunny ears that only children younger than 12 would be allowed on the rink.
“I’m a little disappointed I didn’t get to take part in the actual skate but it’s for a good cause and you can’t control the weather,” said Krystal Miller, her hockey skates slung unused over her shoulder.
While only kids were seen skating laps on the rink, people of all ages walked around Marion Dewar Plaza with tiny LED headlights strapped to their black Energizer toques.
“The concept of the event has been adapted from night road races that Energizer has taken part of,” said Robinson.
The Energizer Night Race is a series of four races in which participants run five or 10 kilometres after sunset wearing headlamps to light their way.
The night race was intended to show “the uniqueness of headlights and the safety of running with headlights at night,” says Jill MacKinnon, the brand manager for Energizer.
The Sens Foundation, in partnership with Energizer, organized the nighttime skate as part of the NHL All-Star Game celebrations.
“The premise of it is to gather a bunch of citizens together and celebrate the All-Star night and illuminate the night,” said Robinson.
Energizer provided all the headlights and toques as part of the participant registration skate kit, ensuring that all proceeds from the event went towards the Sens Foundation.
“Ultimately we just want to raise as much money as we possibly can for the Sens,” says MacKinnon.
The fundraiser helped the Sens Foundation raise more than $75,000, which will go towards its community rink work, according to Robinson.
The foundation has pledged to build 20 outdoor rinks throughout Eastern Ontario and West Quebec as part of its 20th anniversary.
“We’re really excited as part of our 20th anniversary year to give this gift back to the community and say thank you,” saysRobinson.
The Sens Foundation is hoping that the fundraiser will become an annual event.