Can Phil Esposito borrow your pond?

Phil Esposito was back in town today, scouting locations for Ice Time, the $3.2 million film that will depict the story of an NHL star who makes peace with his abusive father.

Tonight, City Council unanimously agreed to authorize $50,000 of in-kind assistance to Capistrano Films to film here in the Sault.

Esposito and screenwriter Antonio Soave found all kinds of places today where they'd love to film, but Esposito told City councillors tonight that they're still looking for a pond they can use during principal photography, scheduled for January of next year.

If you'd like to loan Phil Esposito your pond, please contact Ward 1 Councillor Steve Butland at [email protected] or Ward 2 Councillor Terry Sheehan at [email protected]

Speaking tonight to City Council, Esposito said that the producers originally planned to film in Toronto and Nova Scotia, but Esposito advised that they'd be going to Sault Ste. Marie if he had anything to do with the production.

He has a small but "pivotal" role in Ice Time, the producers say, playing his old hockey coach, who gets into a heated argument with Nick Mancuso, known from his roles in the Matrix and Stingray films and well over 100 other feature films and television shows.

Esposito says he has one big beef with the script.

"The only thing that bothers me in this movie is that I have no love scene," he said. "I mean, come on!"

Esposito said that his tour of the Sault today brought back a flood of four-decade-old memories.

For example, he was surprised to find that his old homestead was less than 400 metres from the Marconi Hall, even though he remembers that distance as a very long walk in his childhood.