GLACE BAY, N.S. — The Vince Ryan Memorial Hockey Tournament is just around the corner and for the first time in three years, the event is returning to normal.
“We're expecting about 100 teams from as far away as New York and we have a couple from Ontario,” said Ritchie Warren, tournament chair.
The Vince Ryan was one of the first events to announce its return for 2022, but because of pandemic restrictions, Warren says they could only have teams from Nova Scotia participate.
“It was a big headache. In 2019 with the first COVID we were five days from starting,” said Warren.
According to tournament organizers, the event contributes about $5 million into the local economy.
It's money that has been missed the last couple of years because of cancellations and fewer teams attending.
“Everybody was looking over their shoulders with COVID the last couple of years,” said James Edwards, CBRM councillor.
Edwards says having the tournament return to normal on and off the ice means big business during a slow time of year for tourism.
“You have the restaurants and hotels and bars. It's a huge economic boost to the area,” said Edwards.
Warren says, at times through the pandemic, he thought the tournament would never be able to recover or return to the ice.
Still, some long-time sponsors have not committed to coming back because they're still struggling financially.
“It's really like starting all over again, but I’m very pleased because we have 28 new teams and we have quite a few in the 19 and over group coming,” said Warren.
The 32ND edition of the tournament begins on March 23.
