Sault Ste. Marie putting fresh twist to New Year's Eve ball drop
The votes are in and Sault Ste. Marie has chosen the icon that will light up the sky during the city's inaugural New Year's Eve party.
In a choice between a giant ball or puck drop, the home of the Soo Greyhounds is showing its love for hockey.
The City of Sault Ste. Marie will host an inaugural New Year's Eve party with a giant puck drop. (Supplied)
"Over the past week, the community has been voting on its inaugural New Year’s Eve event in the Downtown Plaza and what icon will light up the night sky to welcome 2025," the city said in a news release.
"With over 2,500 votes, the community has decided to drop a puck icon."
It was a close race with the puck drop receiving a total of 1,276 votes to the ball drop's 1,246.
- Download the CTV News app now
- Get local breaking news alerts
- Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox
"We have received overwhelming support from the community on this initiative. The puck icon is symbolic of the start of something exciting like a puck drop at the start of a hockey game," Brent Lamming, the city's director of community services is quoted as saying in the news release.
"It offers a fresh twist on the classic ball drop … We look forward to celebrating with everyone in the Downtown Plaza on Dec. 31."
Planning is already underway and will include various activities, food and drinks.
The big puck will drop twice during the event.
First, at 8 p.m. for families with young children and again at midnight to ring in the New Year.
"The puck icon will be made from locally sourced steel and constructed by the city’s public works department," the city said.
"The City of Sault Ste. Marie thanks its sponsors GFL Environmental for their support and most recently Steel Speed who generously stepped up to provide use of their crane."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'oesn't get' the global phenomenom.
From New York to Arizona: Inside the head-spinning week of Trump's legal drama
The first criminal prosecution of a former president began in earnest with opening statements and testimony in a lower Manhattan courtroom. But the action quickly spread to involve more than half a dozen cases in four states and the nation's capital. Twice during the week, lawyers for Trump were simultaneously appearing in different courtrooms.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.