Wednesday, 11 December 2024

Woodstock VIA train station is looking much better

The year was 1853.

The year was 1853 -- the calendar year when train service arrived in Woodstock at what today can be referred to as the corners of Victoria South, Henry and Wellington South streets. The book Bits & Bites features a small chapter called 'The Iron Horse Comes To Town.'



It was to be exact Dec. 15, 1853 or 171 years ago. It was a different time. 

What was originally called the Great Western Railway Station is now the VIA Rail station. For the past couple years the building has been draped in a white tarp twice with secret work happening underneath the curtains -- apparently sandblasting away old paint and then this year re-pointing the bricks as the rail station serving Woodstock will have a new look after the scaffolding is removed soon. 


When the first choo choo chugged it's way into The Friendly City the local member of parliament for (Upper) Canada West was also the Premier of the day, namely (pictured) Sir Francis Hincks (1807 - 1885; Born in Ireland, died in Montreal). Hincks has a significant historical background and should be remembered more locally. 

The inaugural railway would run from Windsor to Burlington Bay. Today's VIA trains are on the same track mapping as they maneuver from Windsor to London to Woodstock to Brantford to Burlington to Union Station in Toronto with a few stops along the way.  

I learned something new when reading the Doug Symons local history book that by 1881 the gauge of the tracks had been modified to be narrowed for the Grand Trunk Railway. 

This same historical collection The Village that Straddled A Swamp noted that the current train station was renovated initially in 1909, modified again in 1954 and again in 1983 (by VIA). I'm not sure on the date of the most recent interior improvements, but I would think it's safe to announce that the current exterior facade facelift would advance that timeline to 2023-24. The folks at Wikipedia suggest 1885 for the station construction by the Grand Trunk Railway. Either way, it appears it will shine once again as the beacon for track passengers departing and arriving in Woodstock. As a comparison note, the Oxford Courthouse on Hunter dates back to 1890.

In 1993 it was designated as a Heritage Railway Station under a federal government protection act to preserve these building across the country.

VIA Rail continues to be a Crown Corporation, so they lease time on tracks owned by other corporations -- most notable CN and CPKC.

The Woodstock station was designed by Joseph Hobson in a Gothic Revival style.

Woodstock's past and present would include at least 3 other railways, including tracks from Tavistock to Port Dover which no longer exist. 

On the north side of Woodstock, the Canadian Pacific tracks were moved completely in the mid-1960s when the Pittock Lake (The tale of Gordon Pittock is important to recall as well.) was created. The trains travel on the north shore of the Thames today, but originally ran on the south side of the river. This line is now CPKC which hosts the Santa Train annually on Winnett Street. When I was growing up at corner of Oxford and Drew there were still passenger trains on this service line, but they ceased more than 50 years ago.

The other clickity-clack express still steaming down the tracks is the Ontario Southland Railway. 

Depicting popularity and overall interest, this past weekend included a model train show at the Woodstock Fairgrounds. 

Local train enthusiast Ken Westcar has spoken to both Woodstock and County councils about the importance of track travel today with his thoughts on suggesting more frequent stops at both the Woodstock and Ingersoll stations. Westcar wrote opinion pieces as a proponent for additional emphasis on train travel (Including an analysis of high-speed trains) and coinciding upgrades both in the London Free Press and Woodstock Sentinel-Review. Westcar is a board member for an association called Transportation Action Ontario (TAO) and shou,ld be applauded for his research.

In the meantime, here's my round of applause for VIA Rail and its improvements to the 139-year-old Woodstock train station 


Sources:

The Village that Straddled A Swamp by Doug Symons

Woodstock Bits & Pieces by Williams & Baker

Google: The Internet


www.viarail.ca

https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=4610&pid=0

http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/CPR_London/history_Woodstock.htm

www.ontariosouthlandrailway.ca

Compiled By: Mark Schadenberg

Woodstock City Council

(519) 532-2068

Email: mschadenberg@cityofwoodstock.ca



Tom Hanks is my favourite actor, so combining the train theme and our season, 

here's a promo for the great movie Polar Express.







 

Tuesday, 3 December 2024

Salvation Army, Operation Sharing now share The Christmas Place

It's better to give than to receive

Happy Holidays to you and all your family and friends.

It's now December -- a time to recall all the happenings of this calendar and celebrate Christmas.

Whether the 'reason for the season', is a nativity scene, advent wreath and Christmas hymns on top of your holiday list; or singing carols about Kris Kringle and watching Alastair Sim in a Dickens classic are the ornaments of your season -- it can always be said that many important charities are in place to help those in need with festive food and presents wrapped in colourful paper for the kids.

Often, I like to give extra promotion and recognition to groups requesting donations which I have a closer connection to, which is why The Christmas Place (Operation Sharing; www.operationsharing.ca) and Salvation Army are the stars atop my evergreen.

I've been a member of the Lions Club of Woodstock for about 20 years and we play the role of elves for the Christmas Place annually by delivering their materials from storage and then after the event returning them to Santa's secret hideaway a few days later. It goes along with the Lions motto 'We Serve', and Peter and Carole Ewing are dedicated volunteers pulling together all the boughs and ribbons on this particular effort.  

This year, the Christmas Place is combining its 'wish list' with the Salvation Army (519 539-9345). You can call it one-stop shopping or you can realize it's best practices that these two organizations combine their toy collections and food drive under one Santa work shop roof -- and that location for The Christmas Place is Huron Park Baptist Church on Berwick Street.

Operation Sharing continues its dedication to The Inn (Old St Paul's Church with its 55 over night beds), and at College Ave church (Wilson and Peel) with programs ranging from the Sharing Table (lunch meals) to Coats For Kids, Food For Friends (public's monetary donations at food store cash registers), and wrap-around services for homeless. 

The charitable group Cycles Of Life is also an affiliate, and support is received from countless companies, grocery stores, and individuals and the United Way of Oxford.

Salvation Army at 769 Juliana continues with many of its collection projects, and certainly is heard every December with its kettle campaign at various local retail outlets. The monies you donate in Woodstock are for Oxford County services. I have volunteered many times in this capacity and there's an ad her to help you join the kettle brigade.

A big Santa Ron thank-you goes out to Heart FM for its annual stuff-the-bus promotion and many many groups bring in donations such as the Woodstock Fire Department. 

Like the song says: 'It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year', (Andy Williams, 1962) and it should be for everyone. 

()()()()()()()

It's the most wonderful time of the year
There'll be much mistltoeing
And hearts will be glowing
When loved ones are near
It's the most wonderful time of the year
There'll be parties for hosting
Marshmallows for toasting
And caroling out in the snow
()()()()()()()

OTHER IMPORTANT GROUPS -- THINKING OF OTHERS

There are at least 3 other associations which should be promoted.

At 887 Dufferin Street you will find the Family Church (519 533-1777), which is accepting items for its 'toys for tots' for what they call Harbour House.  


Harbour House is gathering up new unwrapped toys, but also invite the donation of gently used toys for small children and baby items. The actual Toy & Tot event is Dec. 17. 

The Family Church is hosting a Christmas Dinner on Dec. 22 at 5 p.m.

Another group to consider is the church Increasing Faith Fellowship (519 539-3179) at 50 Finkle as they coordinate an on-going Clothes Closet year-round accept donations.

There is also the Hunter Weston memorial toy drive and collection.

I'm sure this is just a partial list of charities to support around Christmas. This is also the season for shopping local, visiting church bazaars and craft shows, watching parades, enjoying turkey dinner, and simply being kind.






May you have a great holiday season and a wonderful 2025.









   


  


Monday, 2 December 2024

Terell Lloyd is a former Knight; now a Golden Hawk

Woodstock basketball player has compiled impressive resume 

Very quietly, Woodstock has developed a top OUA basketball player. He's quite good, but receives very little recognition.

Terrell Lloyd is an athlete from Woodstock you should know more about.

The College Avenue Secondary School grad has been considered one of the top post-secondary basketball players in Ontario for the past few years. I note it to be post-secondary as the previous college hoops star at Conestoga is now playing for Waterloo’s Laurier Golden Hawks in the OUA.


Lloyd is a 6-foot-3 guard and his stats prove that he knows how to find the rim, including 22 points in his most recent game, an 85-78 loss at Lakehead on Nov. 29 (Last Friday). Lloyd was 9-for-13 shooting in 26 minutes of floor time, leading his Laurier team in rebounds with 15.

Lloyd’s Laurier squad is just 3-8, but the Woodstock player has had a strong season so far – averaging 12.3 points / game. His top offensive game was 23 in a home loss to Carleton.

In the 23-24 season, Lloyd was an OUA rookie, but not really a freshman as he had transferred from college basketball (OCAA) and the Conestoga Condors.

In 21-22 and 22-23, Lloyd led the entire OCAA West in scoring, and in both years was a second team all-star selection. Points per game as a rookie were 24.3, and then 25.1 in second year. The 25.1 stat tied him for 2nd in the entire CCAA. His season-high in 21-22 was 42 points versus Canadore Panthers (23 points in second quarter). He also led the league in steals with 20. A Condors’ press release suggested that Terell Lloyd and Ladera Ujullu-Obang were the top teammates in CCAA in 22-23.

Since Google is my friend, I noticed that the CASS Knights were WOSAA ‘AA’ senior bronze winners in 2019 with Lloyd. The Cory Smith penned (Stratford & Sentinel-Review reporter), noted that the Knights were 31-8 overall and unbeaten in Oxford league play for coaches Drew Symons and Jerry Kleiner. In 2019, Lloyd was Captains-Veterans City MVP and also won the slam dunk competition.

In the spring of 2018, Terell Lloyd was invited to represent Oxford in the Tri-City Top 40 high school talent as sponsored by Adidas. The event was at RIM Park in Waterloo.


Going back to 2017, Lloyd was already on every radar screen as he was the City MVP for CASS in the Captains-Veterans showcase with 24 points.

While at the home of the Knights this past Saturday for the Street Mayor Classic 3-on-3 event as organized by Why Not Us (See their info at www.whynotus.ca), I noted a trophy case recognizing many athletic grads from CASS  and naturally Terell Lloyd was part of the display. 

I certainly hope he gets all the credit he deserves for accomplishments on the hardwood.  




Wednesday, 13 November 2024

Cowan Fields today and tomorrow

Continuation of two earlier compilation entries 

By MARK SCHADENBERG

My difficulty in having a seat at City Council is that in-turn I really should make my documents made public here act simply as a set of facts with very little opinion. However, I will begin with the understood premise that the 1969-built Civic Centre Arena at the Woodstock Fairgrounds must be (should be) replaced quite soon. (Two blogs ago was my background piece on the history of local arenas.)


The Civic Centre is 55 years old and there is a long list of ineptitude items on its amenity list -- the City owns the property but not much more than the space the cinder-block building occupies plus some of the parking lot in front of the (built backwards) rink. The dressing rooms are too small, but foremost the accessibility has become an issue in a day-and-age where walkways, doors, turning spaces, bathrooms, and safety are expected to be at a higher AODA compliance level. A municipality should exceed regulations -- be above-and-beyond. There are a couple places at the Civic pad where boards are plexi-glass so someone in a wheelchair can watch. That is unacceptable, along with the width of the walkway from the players' benches to the corner office, and of course no access to the second-floor corner office as it only has stairs.  

The last 3 feasibility studies pertaining to recreation facilities ands needs in the City have pointed out the discrepancies at the Civic Centre. It's time to move on.

It can be said that I love the fairgrounds location -- more central than the Cowan Fields complex in the northeast by Devonshire and the continuation of Springbank. Civic Centre is closer to shopping and restaurants as well.

However, the City is prepared to place many more features at Cowan Fields, which already has a splash pad, playground equipment, 3 ball diamonds, a trail for connectivity, and (under landscaping phases right now) a regulation cricket field. Cowan Fields could be the focus destination. Since Cowan Fields became a reality there has been a long list of suggested and hinted-at recreation facilities including, but not limited to, a fourth ice surface, outdoor basketball, tennis, another ball diamond, swimming pool (indoor or outdoor), indoor gymnasium, a curling club, plus interesting possibilities such as pickleball courts (Recent addition to list due to huge demand), beach volleyball, and perhaps even a daycare centre.

I'm not going to break down all the dollars, cents and sense as the just-released Monteith Brown consultants report does an amazing job on that task and its attached here as a cut-and-paste pdf. The writer of a good portion of the study is originally from Woodstock in Anand Desai. Read the report and be sure to watch the council video from Nov. 7. 

Keep in mind, nothing will be built overnight and the City has other projects on the horizon and the current additions at both South Gate Centre and the Engineering office.  I add in the current dredging of Southside Pond project as it's well overdue. Earlier in the calendar, the City completed its renovation of the west end of the Market Theatre building and its now the headquarters for economic development, business improvement area staff, small business centre, along with human resources and downtown bylaw administration. This list proves that City Hall itself will require in the next decade an addition as well.

Around Woodstock there's many streets to be re-built (complete work including storm water, water lines, and waste water). It can be added that Southside Aquatic Centre requires attention in its dressing rooms spaces. The City has a 30-year-old community complex needing a new roof, the police station will soon need to expand, and Woodstock's need for a third firehall is on the checklist. 

Naturally it can not be forgotten that there is an approved Dundas Streetscape plan to begin in the spring of 2025.

Municipal budgets for 2025 (Capital and Operating) will begin their dissecting by council and senior staff later this month.





All projects require a minimum of 4 of 7 votes to happen, and when the majority has made an affirmative decision that ruling becomes automatically 'a consensus of council'. Also, someone who voted against a spending proposal is not able to re-open discussions, but someone who voted in favour is permitted to change their mind and re-introduce a motion to reverse a previous decision. 

This note will include prognosticating pictures of possibilities but keep in mind none of it has been approved. The City CAO has continued a long tradition of maintaining an on-going 5-year rolling budget but only the lines with a 2024 heading have been approved for 2024. Therefore, something earmarked for 2027 could happen quicker in 2026, and vice versa a envisioned venture for 2026 maybe could be pushed back to 2027 or could possibly never happen.

In the meantime, I'm excited about all conceivable hypotheticals as the City advances to being home to more facilities for its citizens. Yes, there is a cost attached and it's easy to utilize development charges from growth for a 4th arena, but not to replace an existing arena. Another combination to the puzzle is that this rec complex could be constructed over 3 or 4 phases.  

I do add that there should be (could be) assistance from neighbouring townships at some financial levels in building rinks or pools or gyms or beach volleyball courts as minor hockey (example) has many registered from places such as Sweaburg and Innerkip and Oxford Centre. I would hope that's an opinion you would share. 

The City can not make a Friendly City plea to County Council for money as recreation facilities are in the lower tier of responsibilities. 

Also, and here's the community commitment -- when the community complex on Finkle was built in the mid-1990s the fundraising committee raised $3 million for a $13.5 million twin-pad arena with a gymnastics centre and a community hall. Somehow a local contingent of leisure and recreation folks must bond together and begin raising interest and money in a separate account from industry, user groups, and other citizens. Any grant writing will be done by the City because we now have the feasibility studies penned which prove the necessity. 

LINKS:

https://pub-woodstock.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=2122

https://www.cityofwoodstock.ca/en/resourcesGeneral/PDFs/ParksRec/Woodstock-Recreation-Facility-Needs-Study_Final.pdf

https://www.cityofwoodstock.ca/en/city-governance/municipal-studies-and-plans.aspx







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Tuesday, 12 November 2024

Remembrance Day: Three stories (RIP)

Ed Bennett, Tyler Todd and Andrew Jackson

Three stories -- all quite different and just one of the three is a Second World War item, but all are important to Oxford County.

For Mr. Ed Bennett, please read the Oxford archives piece included here. 

I will always remember Remembrance Day of 2010. As a member of the on-air broadcast team for the London Knights on Rogers TV, I was invited to the Remembrance Day ceremony at Parkwood Hospital in London as Rick Doyle's wife Janice was a RN there. While the focus on this healthcare centre has evolved in the past 14 years, back in 2010 it was the home mostly to veterans of many world combat theatres and most especially World War II. Ed Bennett -- from Woodstock -- was residing at Parkwood, but I didn't see him in the congregation of veterans that morning. Sadly, I would discover later that day, Ed Bennett passed away that day at the age of 87. Another hero gone.

Bennett had been a prisoner of war and his story is something every Canadian should read.

I was able to spend time with Bennett and not through him regaling his past in the military but rather his past in athletics. Ed Bennett was a member of the 1931 Canadian junior football champion Woodstock Grads, he was among the founders of the local YMCA, he was a member of the old Woodstock Ski Club executive, was a proficient golfer at Craigowan, and an accomplished hockey player.

Bennett in Woodstock history became such an integral individual in the early 1980s when he led a committee which repatriated Joseph Whiteside 'Klondike Joe' Boyle to Woodstock for re-burial. Boyle had died in England in 1923 but is now greatly honoured in the Presbyterian cemetery on Vansittart.

Bennett would comment to me that I reminded him of Boyle's stature and that's when Ed Bennett spoke at the inauguration of Boyle to the Woodstock Sports Wall Of Fame. You may recall that Boyle was horse trainer, boxing promoter and manager of the Dawson City Nuggets hockey club which challenged for the Stanley Cup in 1905. By the way, there are many great books about Boyle, but I'm getting off topic.

Bennett's war heroics revolved around the Oxford Rifles, the Canadian Tank brigade, and the Calgary Regiment's advancements at Dieppe in 1942. Bennett was blinded in one eye due to a cylinder exploding. He would be an advisor for the CBC on a documentary about those times and other moments including time as a prisoner of war.

Ed Bennett would work in the insurance business after returning to Woodstock. His wife Lee was prominent in Woodstock Little Theatre (Theatre Woodstock) and was librarian at Woodstock Public Library.

https://archives.oxfordcounty.ca/blog/edwin-bennett/

https://memorials.smithleroy.com/edwin-bennett/3949754/





^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

TYLER TODD

Huron Park Secondary School grad Tyler Todd was killed in Afghanistan. Todd was from Bright and grew up on a dairy farm. Todd was a member of the famed 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry unit (Based in Edmonton). He died at just 26 as a road-side bomb exploded. The date was April 11, 2010. Private Todd was on foot patrol and was Canada's 142nd casualty in Afghanistan. The team Todd was with that day were not on an offensive movement, but as the story attached here notes they were visiting a city to tabulate a list of resources the citizens there in Belanday might be requiring.

My recollections of that time would again be about sacrifice as Tyler Todd could have continued as a dairy farmer or became a firefighter as his education after high school would note, but instead he signed up for several tours in Kandahar. He initially joined the Canadian Army in 2017.

Included is a link to the Macleans magazine story about Todd and his return along the Highway 401's Highway Of Heroes (Technically it's the portion of the highway from CFB Trenton to Toronto's coroner office). 

Thanks to associations like Wounded Warriors Canada, the nearby village of Plattsville has hosted a hockey tournament to honour Tyler Todd -- an event which raised important dollars for veterans of more recent conflicts for on-going healthcare including mental health concerns.

Artist Dave Sopha of Cambridge had created a collage painting of more than 150 Canadians who did in Afghanistan and that portrait was on display at the Plattsville rink.  Sadly, Sopha passed away from cancer in 2021. 








https://macleans.ca/news/canada/the-return-of-private-todd/

https://woundedwarriors.ca/community-comes-together-in-memory-of-local-soldier/



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

ANDREW JACKSON

While Ed Bennett returned home from World War II and Bright's Tyler Todd was killed in Afghanistan, my third tribute is to Woodstock's Andrew Jackson who returned alive from serving in Canada's forces in Afghanistan.

However, it's not a content ending as Andrew Jackson died March 18, 2022. After 12 years in uniform, Jackson was retired from serving and it was noted he had gained the level of master corporal. Jackson was just 36.

I consider his dad Brian and step-mom Joyce good friends through many connections including the Terry Fox Run as cancer has been sadly a long time connection to their families, including Joyce's Garner family. 

His obit said: "He left us peacefully in his sleep. Heaven has gained another angel.  Andrew had a heart of gold -he loved his family and friends enormously!  He was passionate about his country and proudly served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 12 years, fighting in the Afghanistan war in 2009. Andrew was courageous, had a terrific sense of humour and a beaming smile from ear to ear.  Although Andrew was left with some challenges related to serving in the military, he continued to fight for what he believed in. . . Many friends are left to mourn his passing.  Rest in peace, Andrew.  You are dearly missed by everyone who had the pleasure to know you."

Andrew Jackson had 3 siblings, but also had 3 children -- Gabriel, Sophia, and Luke. 

Jackson had connections to Parkwood in London with the OSI group -- Operational Stress Injury Clinic -- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

His death notice from the Canadian Military Engineers Association noted Jackson's tenure at Gagetown in New Brunswick and the fact he served in Afghanistan in 2009 as a member of the Expedient Route Opening Capability (EROC). 

Joyce Jackson was Woodstock's Silver Cross Mother on Remembrance Day in 2022.  



Painting by: Maeghan Schadenberg







        

Saturday, 9 November 2024

Canterbury, Perry, Nellis & Finkle

Woodstock's history of arenas

By Mark Schadenberg

Twin-pad arenas, gymnastics centre, and Frances and Harry Goff community hall.

Cost to build in 1996 was $13.5 million. 

Take Pride . . . Take Part campaign fundraising was required to raise $3 million.

The citizen committee included Dave MacKenzie (Future MP, Conservative), Paul Plant, Rene Rossewy, Carol Symons, Murray Coulter, and Marie Bowerman. The year to begin collaboration was 1983. It’s a long road to the finish line. 

Andrew Coghill was lead on campaign collections, but volunteer board included Paul Turner, Marie Bowerman, John Young, Doug Puddicombe, and many others. Fundraising projects included Buy-A-Brick for $100, Phantom Of The Auction, Auction Under The Big Top and a vacation lottery called the Monster Raffle (2,000 tickets at $20). The scrutineer of the final lottery was (S-R sports editor; ME). The draw was still held on Sept. 8 (lottery lisence) even though the grand opening was delayed. Brick sales alone raised $130,000 and the plaques are still affixed to the wall today in the hallway toward south seating and gymnastics viewing area.

Planning stages were Burke – Oliver Consultants Ltd. and MacLellan Jaunkalns Miller Architects.

Main ice pad was suggested to be 195 x 85, but would later be built as 200 x 100.

Keys to construction was Wong Gregerson Architects and Kitchener's Ball Brothers construction. In 1992, it was estimated construction costs to $75 / sq ft., and that any plans for Olympic ice would add $300,000, and 500 additional seats would be $350,000.

Site superintendents for Ball Brothers were Cameron Ball and Al Dobson. One of the reasons they were selected was their building of the Waterloo Rec Complex.

The city’s citizen building committee was chaired by city councillor Ken Bullen.

One ice pad is 200 x 100 (Olympic) with almost 2,000 seats (Original drawings recommended 1,500 seats and 500 standing), plus standing room for capacity about 2,500. Woodstock Skating Club were among the user groups suggesting a minimum of 2,000 seats to attract national-level talent to the annual carnivals and to become an ideal venue for competitions.

The secondary smaller pad is 200 x 80 with limited seating. A glassed-in mezzanine on the second floor can be used as a viewing area.

Original plan was 10 dressing rooms along with a much larger junior team dressing room. (More dressing rooms would be added on north side of building with best access to secondary pad) Entire building land coverage was said to be 133,000 square feet. The junior room had its own fundraising efforts as team general manager John Jensen contacted alumni.

Foyer and lower landing area include concession booths and Skate Tech pro shop.

The gymnastics centre has been operated by Gord and MaryLee Pinkney since the beginning as the club moved over from what would become the city’s recycling centre at the James Street yard.

The gym club began in 1977 in the basement of the downtown YMCA, and in 1979 formally became Woodstock Gymnastics Club (WGC). Moving mats and apparatus around the city, the WGC also called the small gym at WCI home and later St. Mary’s High School, and from 1982-89 HPSS was its site. In 1989, WGC moved to the clubhouse of the Downs At Cedar Creek golf course (along with the Woodstock Co-op Dance school). From 1991-96, the WGC was a tenant at the Woodstock works yard. WGC president Peter Vyse, along with founding board members Jan Post and Rene Rossewy paced the club with their own fundraising. Also, their deal with the City was that the works yard building they were using apparently would be bought by the city when the WGC was ready to move to WDCC. Gym club also purchased about $50,000 in equipment for their new facility – a home they would move into in July of 1996.

The 1992 plan was that City of Woodstock would pay $6 million of projected $7.4 million costs through debenture and the development charges reserve fund.

AFTER CONSTRUCTION

Councillor Sandra Talbot said: “This is a dream come true for many citizens of Woodstock.” Mayor at the time was John Geoghegan. Mayor was Margaret Munnoch when council approved the project in principle on Jan. 21, 1993. Director of community services at the time was Rick Brown.


In its entirety, the complex also included two ball diamonds, two soccer pitches, man-made pond with trails, the city’s satellite campus for Fanshawe College and daycare Good Beginnings. There were visions to include other amenities such as a concert hall and a helicopter pad.

The first-ever game was an NHL prospects game on Friday, Sept 13, 1996 with the Maple Leafs tying the Red Wings 3-3. Tickets were $8 each. Last-minute crunch construction timetable included the installing of ceramic tile flooring completed that same day, and the centre-ice 4-sided scoreboard had not been installed yet. This was the first time the front doors were used as the facility had opened for public skating, figure skating and minor hockey tryouts. Before the Leafs – Wings game, all arena users had to enter the back doors of the facility as Ball Brothers had not received final occupancy status yet. Singing the national anthem that night was Woodstock Dr Bill Rowe.

It could be said the first user group was the Dave McLaren Hockey School. This idea is quite ironic as Tavistock was also preparing to open its brand new arena in 1996 as McLaren was a Tavistock minor hockey convener, but as a player was a member of the Navy Vets alumni and also played on the blue line many years of Senior A hockey for Woodstock. The hockey school sponsored a public skating event at WDCC for anyone and everyone to participate in on Aug. 17 as part of their registration days and donated proceeds to The Sunshine Foundation.

The Navy Vets Junior C training camp would start on Aug. 26, and Woodstock would win a pre-season game over Flamborough 6-4 on Sept. 11. The Vets would also play a pair of exhibition games against Sylvania (Ohio) juniors and road games against the Ohio University Bobcats featuring Woodstock’s Dan Morris.

The first public skater at WDCC was Larry Bowerman. The last to skate at Perry Street Arena was Larry Bowerman. When the City bought the Perry Street Arena in 1947 and installed artificial ice the first skater was said to be Larry Bowerman. (He passed away in 2015).

The Perrydome was only 176 x 79 and had many issues at the time it closed including the fact the ice was not ever removed from the arena for 7 years due to knowledge of a cracked uneven floor and the idea if taken out, ice might not be returned due to perma-frost below the concrete floor causing more shifting. Bill Fishback was the arena manager, and today’s City CAO David Creery was the deputy engineer.  The arena certainly lacked accessibility and didn’t have enough dressing rooms (as the rooms on the north wall had not been useable for a significant length of time).

Many of the Perry Street seats were sold to the Bothwell Arena, while many others were bought by local citizens. The compressor was destined for a small village near Peterborough, board glass was purchased by Dundalk arena, and the ceiling heaters were going north in Oxford to the ceilings at Hickson Motors.

At the Perrydome, seating capacity was 1,050 plus limited standing room due to narrow walkways. By the 1994 playoffs, it appeared as if the Woodstock fire staff were prepared to enforce that number as it was based on building size and total seats, but quite honestly was a calculation based on how quickly the building could be evacuated in case of fire. 

Woodstock’s first indoor arena was actually on Canterbury Street, so the opening of the community arena on Perry was considered state-of-the-art for its time, especially with the steel overhead construction which created zero obstructed seats.

Back To The New COMPLEX

In September of 1996, figure skating was already practicing especially precision teams as it was already announced that the Woodstock Skating Club would host the Western Ontario Sectionals, Jan. 31 – Feb 2, 1997. Long-time coach Beth Munro was in charge of the Juvenile Whirlettes.   The club’s first carnival at its new home was set for April 5 – 6, 1997. The first-ever carnival was held in 1934.

Due to construction delays (Including a 5-week province-wide masonry strike in 1995) – and the still uncompleted front foyer flooring as of August in ’96 – the Grand Opening was delayed until Sunday, Nov 3. That event included the first-ever induction in Woodstock Sports Wall of Fame with the late Gordon ‘Stub’ Harper recognized. Town crier Scott Fraser welcomed the large crowd during a giant ribbon cutting – a very long piece of paper with perforations so participants could take home part of the ‘ribbon’.

Opening festivities began outside with a Harvard flyover.

Inside, there also was a concert by the Woodstock Strings, the Garner Family singers, an appearance by Canada’s national gymnastics team (WGC competitor Ashley Geris included), plus performances from Woodstock Co-Op Dance school, figure skating routines, exhibition games by both the Wildcats and Jr Navy Vets programs, and naturally free public skating.   

Woodstock Navy Vets first regular season home game was Oct. 5, 1996 and was a 6-3 win over Norwich. Navy Vets Junior C home opener included the Navy Club honour guard, the introduction of a new WMHA junior Navy Vets logo, Woodstock precision figure skating teams performing. The Vets executive invited back many alumni including club founder Sam Keeping, and players and coaches like Ted Power, Ed MacQueen and Ted Long (He had won Memorial Cup in 1976 with Hamilton and was drafted in 5th round by Maple Leafs.) Jensen was the team’s GM, but also a former player and coach. Former player Bill Thomas travelled from Winnipeg for the home opener.

The trivia question about the first-ever Junior C goal at the WDCC belongs to Tim Wise of Norwich, while Andrew Holmes scored the first Navy Vets goal. Woodstock head coach was Dave Bogart, while assistants were John Thornton, Steve Chesley and Shane Johnson. 

The first WMHA game day was Saturday, Sept 28 with Woodstock minor novices beating Brantford 9-0 in a pre-season game. This Woodstock team included future NHLer Jake Muzzin, and former Patti Kazmeir nominee Kelly Paton. Kirk Stevenson, Justin Pottruff and Scott Macdonald had 2 goals apiece.

I’m not sure how much advertising on the boards costs today, but a company could buy 2 spots (opposite sides of rink ads) for $1,500.

Having a third arena became very important to the city as it permitted expansion of all leagues, including the creation of a Wednesday over-40 hockey league with convener Bill Carrothers.

CIVIC CENTRE

The Civic Centre Arena at the Woodstock Fairgrounds on Nellis Street is 180 x 80 and opened in 1969. Significant improvements have taken place in recent years, but a thorough renovation, including pouring permanent concrete seating took place in the early 1990s. Upgrades have also included a new condenser and compressor, rubber flooring installed, and aluminum siding to the exterior. A story I wrote in S-R at the time noted the arena should be good for the next 30 years, which of course is now. The City owns the land the arena is built on, but significant property around it belongs to the agricultural society (fair board).

In the early 1990s, it was said a City should have 1 arena per 11,300 population (Source: OMHA study). Now, in 2024, population is quickly approaching 50,000.

With a feasibility study compiled to prove the necessity of a third ice surface, the 1993 S-R story noted the Civic Centre was averaging 76 hours each week, while Perry Street’s average was 72. The consultants from that era calculated Woodstock could utilize 84 more hours each week between hockey (for all ages; male and female), and figure skating.

The Perry Street Arena opened Jan. 6, 1914 and was built by a group of local business people, but when it was sold to the City in 1947, it was said that the majority owner was Harry McIntosh (McIntosh Park named for his family. He owned both a coal distribution and ice company.) Recreation director Joe Iannarelli and minor hockey organizer Orv Hodgins immediately increased the length of the season due to the arrival of artificial ice.

LINKS:

https://www.cityofwoodstock.ca/en/resourcesGeneral/PDFs/ParksRec/Woodstock-Recreation-Facility-Needs-Study_Final.pdf

https://facilities.cityofwoodstock.ca/home/detail?CategoryIds=&FacilityTypeIds=&Keywords=complex&ScrollMap=true&CloseMap=false&id=af2b9c89-4be6-4c5c-96f5-10b7b27f6af3

Compiled By

Mark Schadenberg

From the Woodstock Sentinel-Review clippings

Research completed during WDCC construction

And the Perry Street Arena Farewell published stories 


More history? Who remembers

the Sr A Woodstock Gems