In Sylvan Lake, it was also a rink builder. The roof of the Sylvan Lake Arena collapsed in January 2014, sparking the town's late push to win Kraft Hockeyville as a way to help rebuild it.
"We are 75-80 percent through the rebuild of the new complex, and really, without Hockeyville, it would have been a struggle," Parsons said. "We are probably three or four years ahead with the new rink because of Hockeyville, and it will be open in March or April."
In Lumby, the money will go toward renovating Pat Duke Memorial Arena, which was built in 1967 and is in need of new flooring, working heaters and better dressing rooms. The latter will be particularly helpful to the fast-growing number of female players in Lumby Minor Hockey.
"I started playing hockey 36 years ago and at that time I was one of only three girls in Lumby Minor Hockey," said Angie Clowry, who heads the local organizing committee. "Now 33 percent of the hockey players in Lumby Minor Hockey are female, and we still have a female change room that's really only an 8-by-10 storage locker with no water, no bathroom."
All-girl teams can use one of the four main locker rooms, but the number of co-ed teams in Lumby creates a problem for female players who need a separate place to change.
"There's not really even enough room for them to be comfortable," Clowry said. "Once they change, they stack their hockey bags on top of each other so the next girl can change."
A designated female dressing room is part of the plan for the money that comes with winning Kraft Hockeyville, but the legacy of the event already is being felt in minor hockey.
"We have struggled a lot to get enough kids playing hockey in the past, but I honestly think this will be the starting point of something bigger and better in Lumby forever," said Cole Young, who coaches three teams. "What it's done to Lumby already is amazing to see with all the people jumping on board and grasping this thing called Hockeyville. It's absolutely amazing."