There are many things that go into building a strong community or a region. Some of them are very tangible and easy to identify, like roads, public buildings and recreational centres. Others are far less tangible and harder to see but are important to building a sense of community spirit and quality of life.
Sporting events can often be both an economic benefit for a community and a great way to build community spirit. It can work for large communities or the entire province, as the 1999 Pan Am Games did for Winnipeg and Manitoba, or for smaller cities, like the men’s provincial curling championships did for Steinbach a couple of years ago.
Many longtime residents of Steinbach and the region will remember the 1979 Steinbach Huskies who became the Western Canadian Champions in Senior Hockey and advanced to the Allan Cup finals before losing a best of seven series.
On their way to becoming Western Canadian Champs the Huskies united the area and brought a level of excitement to the Centennial Arena that is hard to describe. Long lines of fans waited to get into the arena on game days and packed every corner of the rink as local hockey heroes were created. I know that personally, as a then 10 year old hockey fan, many lifelong memories were created during that Huskies drive to the Allan Cup.
From April 13th -18th new and long-time residents alike will be able to create, and perhaps relive, memories as Steinbach plays host to the 2009 Allan Cup tournament. It will feature six of the best senior hockey teams in Canada and the Steinbach North Stars will play host.
This will be the 101st Allan Cup championship and the first time it is hosted in Manitoba. The championship game will be broadcast nationally and tickets for the event are very affordably priced.
Players and fans from across Canada will not only be experiencing a great championship but will also be able to experience the hospitality of our region. Organizers of the 2009 Allan Cup, led by Host Committee chair Randy Wolgemuth, have been busy ensuring that the storied tournament receives a warm Steinbach and southeast Manitoba welcome. It’s a great team of organizers and volunteers that the Allan Cup committee has assembled and like past sporting events held in Steinbach, I know that residents will show visitors why our region is one of the best to call home in all of Canada.
Ticket, volunteer and tournament information are available on the Allan Cup website at www.allancup2009.ca.
There are many things that go into making a community. As the excitement towards the Allan Cup builds and the tournament begins, this is another opportunity to showcase Steinbach and our region and to strengthen a sense of community and build lasting memories.
