Officials at City Hall are expressing pride over the accomplishments of one particular group of individuals in the community.
That group is the Battlefords North Stars hockey team, who have clinched first place in the SJHL regular season standings.
The team has secured home-ice advantage for all potential deciding games throughout the SJHL playoffs in 2017, and the hope is that nothing derails them from a championship run.
But one thing that could derail any team would be getting kicked out of their own arena due to a conflict.
City officials at their planning committee meeting on Tuesday wanted to make sure that would not happen as they contemplated the North Stars’ playoff run.
“If the post season goes long, are we ready or what impact might it have on other events that are planned in the Civic Centre?” asked Mayor Ryan Bater to administration.
Bater particularly wanted to know if there might be any potential conflict with the Kinsmen Rodeo, an event scheduled for the Civic Centre April 28 to 30.
Leisure services manager Bill Samborski noted there should be no potential conflicts with the rodeo if the league followed the same date format for the playoffs.
“We should be able to accommodate that Game Seven,” said Samborski. After Game Seven, they would then start putting the dirt in on the Tuesday of that week for the rodeo.
A big help, Samborski acknowledged, was the decision by the Battlefords Wildlife Federation to move their big “Smoker” event back into the first week of May -- a move that was encouraged by officials at Leisure Services.
“Thanks to the Smoker moving, everything actually really should work out,” said Samborski. If practice time is needed, the Don Ross Arena could also be made available, he indicated.
Should they win the Canalta Cup finals, the North Stars will not have any more home playoff dates at the Civic Centre, as their next potential contests would all be on the road.
The next games after that would be the Western Canada Cup played in Penticton, followed by the RBC Cup in Cobourg, Ontario. In previous years under the old Anavet Cup format, there would have been additional home playoff games scheduled under that format.
There should be no other potential conflicts. Both the Battlefords AAA Stars and the SPHL Meota Combines are eliminated, so a number of Civic Centre dates are available.
The Civic Centre has not hosted an SJHL league final in several years. Should it happen, it would be the first for the North Stars since 2006, when they lost to the Yorkton Terriers.
However, the league semi-finals have been the downfall of the North Stars several times in recent years, including last season when they lost to Flin Flon.
The hope at City Hall is the North Stars will go on a playoff tear and have plenty of home games at the Civic Centre.
“As of tonight, everything’s falling into place nicely for a really good run for those guys,” said Samborski. “Hopefully, it will happen.”
