Barry Forth acknowledged it will take votes from across Hamilton and beyond to move Dundas past the top 12, into the final five and into top spot, if the Valley Town is on the list announced during a CBC special presentation Monday, March 15 at 9 p. m.

“I don’t care where people are from,” Forth said after taking a CBC film crew on a quick tour of Dundas for

possible inclusion in the upcoming top-12 show. “If you know someone in Mexico, get them

to vote for Dundas.” Anyone can vote for any community in the

top-12, from the end of the show at 11 p. m. Monday until the following Sunday, March 21.

And Forth hopes Dundas has put on enough of a show so far to not only make the top-12, but earn the votes necessary to stay in the running.

The community crowned Hockeyville 2010 will receive $100,000 for arena upgrades and an NHL pre-season exhibition game. The remaining four teams that reach the final five each get $25,000 for arena upgrades.

Last Saturday, the CBC film crew visited Dundas’ historic J. L. Grightmire Arena, where the Dundas Minor Hockey Association was holding its championship day. Outside, a celebrity street hockey game in the arena parking lot featured former Dundas Real McCoy (and Toronto Maple Leaf) Rick Vaive, and, among others, CHCH television personalities Mark Hebscher and Bob Cowan, who both live in the Valley Town.

Forth figures about 2,000 people were crammed into the parking lot when the Kevin McLean Band played their Gotta Be Dundas theme song and the CBC cameras rolled.

Afterward, Forth hopped into the television crew’s van and directed them through downtown Dundas, where dozens of local merchants decorated their storefronts and windows with a Gotta Be Dundas blue and yellow theme.

“I was impressed,” Forth said. He wasn’t sure the Dundas businesses would have enough time to get their plans together and the extra work done. But he heard great comments about the downtown decorations all day, and was particularly impressed by the Thirsty Cactus, which transformed the outside of the building into an arena, and Heirlooms Bridal Shop, which put yellow and blue bridesmaid dresses together to fit the Gotta Be Dundas colours. Lillian’s Style Shoppe actually borrowed outfits already sold to customers to make sure their window fit the theme.

Forth then took the crew by the house of local Hockeyville supporter Kyle Mungar, who had decorated the street with the Gotta Be Dundas logo. Mungar happened to be playing a street hockey game at the time, and the crew captured it on film.