The Esso Cup is only 53 days away and the Hawks just kicked off their Manitoba Female Midget Hockey League semi-final playoff series with a win last night at the Access Event Centre in Morden. 

Ever since Hockey Canada announced the Pembina Valley Hawks as the host team the Access Event Centre staff has been extremely busy preparing its facility for the nation to see. Tim Harsant Maintenance Manager stated staff has been hard at work building goal stands for the goal judges, building camera and broadcaster platforms, painting the facility, along with the general upkeep of the building. 

"We painted the dressing rooms in the summer on both sides. We repaired some of the boards, and just doing the daily routine to make ready to go. We have a lot of work to do, just because of all the people in the building," said Harsant.

In addition to the painting, the staff will be building individual stalls for the players and teams, who will remain in the one dressing room all week during the tournament. 

Harsant noted the staff is excited but is aware of the large task they are going to be challenged with. 

Not only will the employee's have to make sure the facility is clean and ready to go for the championship but will have to do some work to the ice 

"We do have to take the existing decals out of the ice and put the new ones in. It's probably easier to just take out the whole ice surface and put everything back in with a fresh sheet of ice," said Harsant about what work is needed to be done to the playing surface of the Huron Window Corporation Arena. "If we take it out and put it in right away, that saves us a week right there. In the summer when we take it out and put it back in the fall the floor is too warm and it takes a while to get the temperature down before we can even start putting water on their."

According to Harsant the Co-op Arena ice isn't going to be used during the tournament and will be coming out. He added this rink will be able to be used as a team gathering area, dry land/warm-ups, and many other things during the week.

"Then we can do some maintenance in the rink and paint. We can repair the boards themselves. They get banged up pretty good," continued Harsant. 

Previous Volumes;

Road To The Esso Cup: Volume 1

Road To The Esso Cup: Volume 2