Iroquois Falls seeks support

By Randy Russon
July 16, 2019
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The group that is determined to try to bring junior hockey back to Iroquois Falls says it has identified a “strong prospect” that has interest in the said matter.

The Boost Our Igloo Club has already secured about 240 season ticket deposits that would help ensure attendance support at venerable Jus Jordan Arena in Iroquois Falls.

Affectionately known as the Igloo, Jus Jordan Arena was home to the Abitibi Eskimos and Iroquois Falls Eskimos of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League from 1999 to 2017.

Despite being among the annual leaders on the NOJHL attendance chart, the most-recent owner of the Eskimos sold the franchise ahead of the 2017-2018 season to the group that now operates the Hearst Lumberjacks.

Hearst, in turn, has become an NOJHL attendance leader and the Lumberjacks are now the reigning league champions.

At any rate, with season-ticket commitments by the Boost Our Igloo Club now approaching the 240 mark, a spokesman for it relayed via e-mail that “while it is not a guarantee, it is (our) best and most promising opportunity to date. Iroquois Falls must prove to the ownership of the prospect team, and to its league, that there is sufficient corporate sponsorship support to sustain a team of this caliber.

“Therefore at a meeting held (on Monday night) with our consultation committee, a campaign to solicit $40,000 in corporate sponsorship commitments by August 1, which represents one half of the estimated total sponsorship budget, was launched.

“We will personally appeal to local and area businesses and industry to commit to a sponsorship package in order to help bring Jr. A hockey back to Iroquois Falls. We are aware of the tight timeline to achieve the objective, and are confident that it can succeed.

“We are appealing to Iroquois Falls residents, friends and supporters to take an active role in the bid for the return of Jr. A hockey, by encouraging their employer and favorite businesses to commit to a sponsorship package by August 1. Inquiries can be addressed to boostouriglooclub@gmail.com.”