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/





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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/



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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






Building a new arena . . . in Ingersoll and in Brantford

OHL's Bulldogs could get new home near casino complex

By MARK SCHADENBERG

With recent references to Legion minor hockey tournaments locally, and the Woodstock Reeves Community Complex and our municipality's need for at least one new arena (See other entry), it is not my desire to evolve this blog site into a sports page. However, recreation destinations are very important for all towns and cities, and that's why focus on this entry can be on both Brantford and Ingersoll.

The Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League seek a new facility and it appears they will have a new arena erected near the current Civic Centre building (Bulldogs current home ice) and the Elements Casino just a few steps away. Imagine, the focal point -- a new arena with 5,000 seats which could create a Brant County destination for sports and entertainment -- most certainly including concerts.

Brantford will likely be the envy of southern Ontario as a city with a population of about 110,000 as the community also has the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre and also the Lions Park Arena. The Gretzky complex is renowned for skating and swimming. The competitive swim club with 5 coaches, includes a 2 very familiar faces -- from Piranhas of Woodstock history in Joni Maerten-Sanders, and from South-West Aquatics (Tillsonburg and Woodstock) Paul Armstrong. A competitive lane pool and a therapeutic pool are just 2 of the splashing successes.  

The Gretzky facility is easily seen from the 403 and also features 4 NHL-size arenas. The main ice surface has 1,000 seats, while the others geared to minor hockey and tournaments each have about 250.

Brantford's newest rink will feature the OHL as its main tenant. A copy-and-paste link to news pieces by CHCH Hamilton and CTV Kitchener interviews with Brantford mayor Kevin Davis describes how the entire neighbourhood could be transformed over the next few years. 

The key to pulling together all the principles is that the Bulldogs are now owned by Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer (ATS Healthcare and other endeavours). It would seem without a new rink (which could open by 2028), the Bulldogs could continue to be nomads as they had moved to Brantford rather recently from Hamilton. Naming rights to the building would have an asking price of $5 million, but the overall price tag would be in the $140 million ball park.

The lure to the Bell City includes the casino obviously with its 500+ slot machines, and table games such as blackjack and roulette.

The 'neighbourhood' plan would include up to 4,000 new residential units and a hotel.


Ken Davis: 

https://www.chch.com/chch-news/brantford-city-council-votes-to-move-ahead-on-new-downtown-arena/

https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/we-ve-got-one-shot-city-of-brantford-one-step-closer-to-building-new-arena-and-concert-venue-1.7067874   

_________________________

INGERSOLL -- Super exciting times, but patience is part of the recipe.

In Ingersoll, the word MURC (Multi-Use Recreation Centre) is mentioned often during sports chatter at the Ingersoll District Memorial Centre arena (IDMC). The town's feasibility study into recreation facilities noted the IDMC had dimensions of 190 x 85 and is the town's only ice surface and will soon be 65 years old. A 2014 consultant report added that there is no acreage for possible expansion at the current site on Mutual Street South (north of Charles street), which has a close proximity to the Thames River flood plain as well. Projected needs for replacement or upkeep of the compressor, HVAC, and safety issues also tend to lead to the premise of replacing the IDMC with new construction. A new arena would avoid future requirements for a new floor and new roof also.

MURC is a single-pad arena, which will include a space for a future second ice surface, along with a gymnasium, multi-purpose community hall, a walking track, and additional meeting rooms / offices / storage / fitness area. Pictures attached to this prose are just a visual representation as final exact drawings and interior renderings are not completed through the pre-tender process of cost analysis and architectural amenities. Also, a budget in the range of $40 million (or higher) has likewise not been confirmed or tabulated.

The town's online GANTT chart began in March of 2024 and includes a long list of stages from fundraising and land servicing to pre-tender costing, applying for the building permit and an impressively complex (pun) construction timetable to be completed in 2028.


The MURC will be located at the town's entrance off Highway 19 (Southeast corner of Ingersoll) in a 78-acre parcel acquired which was known as Grobrook Farm.  

“In extending our heartfelt appreciation to the Grobrook Farms, we acknowledge their unwavering commitment to giving back to the community. Their generosity has set Ingersoll on a firm and stable path, ensuring the continuity of reliable services for our community." - Mayor Brian Petrie, Town of Ingersoll was quoted in a press release dated in January of this year.

The farm's part owner Nick Groot knows this development is very important to the town

“Our donation is a reflection of our commitment to sustainable development and the well-being of the residents. We look forward to seeing the positive impact these enhanced recreational areas will have on the community,” Groot -- a dairy farmer by trade -- said in the release.

https://www.ingersoll.ca/en/town-hall/murc-project.aspx 

https://www.ingersoll.ca/en/town-hall/resources/MURC/Murc-GANTT.pdf  


Ingersoll Cheese & Agricultural Museum





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Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Silver Stick minor hockey qualifiers

U14 & U16 tournaments Nov. 1 - 3 in Woodstock

Compiled By MARK SCHADENBERG

Tradition in minor hockey in Woodstock represents a Charles Schulz bird and the long-time Legion Minor Hockey Tournament weekends

The Woodstock Minor Hockey Association (WMHA) Junior Navy Vets travel teams no longer utilize the Peanuts character in its logo, but there will be many appearances by the cartoon Woodstock over two upcoming weekends.

Nov. 1 - 3 is both U14 and U16 Niagara Region qualifying tournaments in the prestigious International Silver Stick program. From Nov. 15-17, Woodstock will then host the U10 and U12 qualifiers. Minor hockey teams always enjoy the pursuit of in-season tournaments to compete in during their respective Alliance regular season schedules.

With Woodstock hosting 4 age groups, each of the WMHA entries receive an invitation to compete, and also have their tournament fee waived by the organizing committee as it re-directs income / revenue from previous years to continue its local hockey tradition.

When it's time to roll out the red carpet at the Reeves Community Complex, the person who should be recognized first and foremost is long-time event convener Bill Carrothers (Sports Wall Of Fame plaque picture). His resume includes retired high school principal, high school football and hockey coach, restauranteur, hospital foundation board, harness racing hobbyist, local oldtimers hockey league chair, and more than 40 years with the Legion (Branch 55) Minor Hockey Tournament Committee. 

The Carrothers crew has included many volunteers over the decades -- Alf, Pat and Bob Langdon, Ted Thorn, Roger Boyd, Dave Hay, Ted Vleuten, Ed Cook, Graham Wallace, Steve Chesley, and many many others.

With both tournaments acting as qualifiers for the International Silver Stick finals (tournaments) in all 4 age divisions it's an opportunity to attract many top 'A - AA' squads to the city. 

The annual Silver Stick competitions date back to 1956, beginning in Richmond, which is now part of the Greater Ottawa area as they organized cross-border challenges with Potsdam, N.Y. In just about its 70 years of existence it has multiplied from 4 participating teams to 65,000 players annually according to www.silverstick.org

Overall champions are now awarded in boys' and girls' divisions. 

The most recent WMHA International Silver Stick division finals are the 2022-23 Woodstock U12 team, and the 2021-22 Woodstock U18 squad. An interesting note about that age group is that the Woodstock Junior Navy Vets won 'A' Ontario (OHF) titles in both 2022 and 2023.

Scrolling through the event's archives, I noted that the first-ever Woodstock Silver Stick champs were the 73-74 Bantam team.

The Nov. 1 -3 weekend is upon us and features the U16 WMHA playing Burlington at 9 p.m. on Friday, Brant at Noon on Saturday, and Sarnia at 5:15 on Saturday. The round robin schedule for the U14 Junior Navy Vets was not published on the WMHA website when I checked on Oct. 29.

Additional busy minor hockey tournaments in Woodstock includes the Wildcats events Nov. 29 - Dec. 1, and also Jan. 2 - 5 with 11 divisions planned for early in the 2025 sports calendar.

      

The Woodstock Recreation Advisory Committee 

created this scrapbook binder a few years ago 

to assist in honouring previous inductees as a resource book. 





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