Crews have been working around the clock at Riverworks in order to get the two sheets of refrigerated ice in ready-shape for next weekend’s anticipated Labatt Pond Hockey Tournament.
For the first time, Labatt will not have to rely upon the fickleness of Mother Nature (even though this year she sure cooperated). Rather, steel workers have been spending time making sure that the new observation decking (with beer rails and light poles) is in place to ensure that the games are highly visible for the spectators.
New clear garage doors have been installed in the metal sheeting walls of the adjoining warehouse, which will allow plenty of natural light in. And depending on the weather, those doors can be rolled right up to create a natural traffic flow for visitors who will be busy checking out the live music, the bars, the hockey, the Olympics (on a large screen), food stations, and myriad other amenities planned for the weekend (both inside and out).
As you can see, the sheer size of the building offers a massive industrial space for partiers, plus there are some heaters at work that make it fairly comfortable considering the location along the Buffalo River. Labatt is also setting up a huge beer tent to offer additional space for visitors. Hockey and beer is in the air… and it won’t be long before hundreds of people are checking out one of the newest party destinations along the waterfront (in a raw form compared to what it will look like eventually).
On the weekend of February 21-22, 2014, 120 teams (800 pond hockey players competing across 10 divisions with seven player rosters) will take the ice at 333 Ganson Street, home of the RiverWorks project.
For more information, visit www.labattbluepondhockey.com | See this BRO article for more background info