 | The Bainsville Bomers versus Williamstown | |
Bainsville - Feb. 5, 2011 - It all came together - the weather, the teams, the organizers, and the volunteers. All of the tournament's objectives were met and everyone had a fabulous time. The entire weekend was a success! The Bainsville Recreation Association started their outdoor hockey tournament ten years ago in Jack Danaher Park and it continues to grow.
Joining the Bainsville Bombers in this year's tournament were teams from Lancaster, Alexandria, Williamstown, Glen Walter and St. Lazare. There was also a team from the South Glengarry Fire Department, the Blue Anchor, the Glengarry News to name but a few. For our readers who have not seen the set-up at Danaher Park, it is worth the trip to one of the most easterly points in the province as it is an impressive outdoor facility.
OurHometown.ca caught up with committee member Ken Robbers on Saturday afternoon and his love for the park was infectious. You could hear the sense of pride in his voice as he talked about how the park came to be. He and his fellow committee members have every right to be proud of their collective accomplishments.
The park is named after the late Jack Danaher, a retired school teacher from the area whose family donated the initial seed money so that the park could get started.
"Local residents had to travel into Williamstown to go to a park, so a group of 20 or so guys built what you see here today", explained Robbers. "All of the volunteers brought something to the table. We had contractors, engineers and a group of dedicated volunteers who worked very hard to make this project happen."
The park was built on municipal property but is run by a dedicated group of volunteers. A work schedule for maintenance has been established and committee members take turns clearing the ice of snow and flooding the rink. Danaher Park can boast that it has its own Zamboni (a Columbia actually), an electronic scoreboard, a full set of lights, two heated change rooms, a fully stocked canteen, plastic coverings on its boards and ice as good as any arena.
The work of the committee has not gone unnoticed by some of this country's largest corporate citizens. Signage can be seen acknowledging Bell Canada's support and Robbers tells us that Molson Canada donated $10,000 to a Father-Son event in order that one of the change rooms could be renovated.
Each year the proceeds of this hockey tournament are invested back into Danaher Park. This coming year, the Association is hoping to expand its main building amongst a number of other improvements.
Other events at Jack Danaher Park include Christmas in the Park and an outdoor summer dance. The rink plays host to a Thursday night men's hockey league and Robbers is quick to mention that the ice is available to be rented or to host other nightly events.
More information about the Bainsville Recreation Association and Jack Danaher Park can be found at http://www.bainsvillesports.com.
Community spirit is alive and prosperous in Bainsville, and their outdoor facility is a shining example of the success that can be achieved when a community works together.
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