Local Sports
Local Sports Recap December 17th – 18th


By Sheldon Spackman
Lots of Central Alberta hockey teams in action on Saturday night, including the Olds Grizzlys who lost 5-4 to the Saints up in Spruce Grove. Ryley Smith scored twice for the Grizzlys, with Jared Bowman scoring once on the power play and Landon Gross the other on the power play as well.
The loss drops the Grizzlys record to 11-17-5 with 27 points and seventh place in the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Viterra South Division.Spruce Grove improves to 24-10-2 with 50 points and third place in the AJHL’s Viterra North Division.
The Grizzlys next game is Sunday, December 18th against the 24-9-4 Bonnyville Pontiacs who have 52 points and are second place in the North Division. The Pontiacs are coming off a loss in their last game as well. It’s a 2:00 pm face-off at the Olds Sportsplex.
In the Chinook Hockey League, the Lacombe Generals doubled the Stony Plain Eagles 8-4 in Lacomeb Saturday night. Myles Bell scored four of the Generals goals, with the others coming from Ian Barteaux, Adam Huxley, Ryan Kinasewich on the power play and Riley Sheen.
The win is Lacombe’s sixth in a row and improves the Generals record to 12-1-0-0 with 24 points and still first place in the CHL. Stony Plain has now lost three in a row but remains in second place in the CHL with a 6-4-0-2 record and 14 points. Lacombe’s next game is Saturday, January 7th when they host the 3-4-0-1 Rosetown Red Wings who currently have 7 points and are fifth place in the CHL.
Elsewhere in the CHL on Sunday, December 18th, the Innisfail Eagles visit the Fort Saskatchewan Chiefs. The Eagles are 3-4-0-4 with 10 points and in third place, while the Chiefs are 4-8-0-0 with 8 points and in fourth place. It’s a 4:45 pm face-off.
In the Heritage Junior Hockey League on Saturday night, the Red Deer Vipers hammered the Blackfalds Wranglers 7-1 at the Collicutt Centre. Vipers goals came from Declan Johnston who scored twice, including one on the power play, Mack Differenz who scored twice, including one on the power play, Lane Sim, Brett Hoppus and Kale Lapointe.
The win is the second in a row for Red Deer and improves the Vipers record to 19-8-1- with 39 points and third place in the Heritage Junior Hockey League’s North Division. Blackfalds drops to 16-9-0 with 32 points and fourth place in the HJHL. Red Deer’s next game is Wednesday, January 4th when they visit the Mountainview Colts. Blackfalds plays next on Sunday, December 18th when they host the Airdrie Thunder. It’s a 3:30 pm face-off.
Elsewhere in the HJHL on Saturday night, Stettler beat Three Hills 9-5. Other games on December 18th include Mountainview in Banff.
Local Sports
Today: Come meet Red Deer’s Silver Medalist Rebecca Smith


Submitted by Tourism Red Deer
Come celebrate with us and congratulate Red Deer’s own Rebecca Smith.
Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Tourism Red Deer invite you to meet Red Deer’s Summer Olympic Silver Medalist Rebecca Smith!
Rebecca was a part of Team Canada’s 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay swim team at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She’ll be here to meet, greet, and show off her hardware.
Where: Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, 102-4200 Highway 2, Red Deer
When: Wednesday, August 25, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
City of Red Deer
Access to Dawe Centre pool and community centre affected by expansion project – Details


Limited access to G.H. Dawe Community Centre this summer due to construction
As announced yesterday, City recreation centres are opening fully to the public as of July 1. With construction underway at the G.H. Dawe Community Centre, only limited services and areas will be available.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Starting July 2, fitness and gym areas will open from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., daily. In July, summer day camps that normally operate from the Dawe will operate from other facilities.
- The pool will remain closed until September.
- To accommodate interior heating and ventilation construction, the facility will fully close from July 26 to August 31. Some registered preschool and summer camp programming may proceed, but no rental or general admission options will be available.
- On September 1, we anticipate the pool will be open, but some other amenities, like the gym, may not be available. More information will be provided as construction progresses.
- Playing surfaces in the arena will not be available until construction is complete, which is expected to be early 2023.
We are currently offering a discounted monthly Value Pass for $27 for adults ($24.50 for seniors; $21.90 for students; $19.30 for youth; $14.20 for children, and $60.50 for a family. It provides unlimited access to all facilities. As of August the Value Pass will only provide access to the Recreation Centre and Michener Aquatic Centre; however, access to the Dawe will be included in the Value pass until the pool, gym and fitness areas are open.
About the G.H. Dawe Community Centre Project
Work is underway now on the G.H. Dawe Community Centre Project and some exciting changes are in store. We expect to welcome visitors to the transformed space in early 2023. Here’s just some of what you can expect:
- Two NHL standard playing surfaces
- Expanded fitness areas, including a running track
- Outdoor spray park with washroom facilities
- Improved accessibility
- Additional north entrance + site access from 67 Street
- Additional parking
During construction, there will be some changes and impacts to existing amenities and programs, and we’ll do you best to share this information in advance. Thanks for your patience as we complete this work.
For more information about the project, please visit reddeer.ca/DaweProject.
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