World Juniors staff feel the loss after tournament cancelled in Alberta
Posted Jan 3, 2022 11:12 am.
Last Updated Jan 3, 2022 11:15 am.
The cancellation of the World Junior Hockey Championship has left a big impact on many people, not just players and team staff involved in the actual competition.
Security, food and drink staff, camera operators, ice crew, and so many more have been left without the additional work the World Juniors brought. The event was cancelled after Omicron cases began spreading through teams.
“I wanted to work the World Juniors forever. It’s been a dream of mine, so it was really exciting to finally get to be a part of it,” Morgan Whitbred, who was an ice crew manager at Rogers Place, told CityNews.
She was one of hundreds of people who worked behind the scenes to make sure the competition could run. However, Whitbred now joins many in losing out on employment, as well as an experience.
“For health and safety, I totally understand. It was great while it lasted, it was just really sad and hard to adjust to for sure,” she admitted.
Camera operator Patrick Strevens is in the same boat. He says the outcome is of course disappointing but adds it’s not just about a paycheck.
“There’s the energy and the excitement of being a part of something bigger than you. All that is lost,” he explained.
While many people hired to run the World Juniors are now at a loss, the cancellation of games has also hit local businesses in the pocketbook.
There are many around Rogers Place who say they’re already feeling the impact.
“We thought it was going to be a big week for us, 100 per cent. You notice where your number are, you notice how things are going. January is already a slow month but yeah, it’s come down a lot,” said Stevie Harrison, a server at Kelly’s Pub in Edmonton.
Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers are facing more postponements upon the team’s return from its latest road trip.
The games that do go ahead will be held with capacity restrictions.
