Elmvale creates its own 'Hockeyville' for weekend tournament
The Town of Elmvale and its residents have bonded over hockey for generations, even for those who don't play the sport.
This weekend, it's showing how deep that connection goes.
Elmvale is hosting its annual Brian English Memorial Tournament, transforming itself into its own Hockeyville, with banners on the town's main street, honouring locals who brought so much to the sport.
"So many people have been, at some point in their lives, a part of a hockey community. With that, we have the celebrations, the wins, but then we also have the tragedies that come along through the community," said Deborah Coughlin, Tournament Director with the Elmvale Minor Hockey Association (EMHA). Having three young boys, it was important to me to make sure we recognize those people."
A photo of banners that have been hung up on Main Street in Elmvale on Sat., Oct. 28 (Ian Duffy/CTV News).
While banners line the street, businesses have also decorated their storefronts for the tournament. Organizers said it's a way the game can support the companies who make events like this possible.
"I think about how our minor hockey folks come and volunteer at our community festivals because they know the community gives to them, and they give back to the community," said Matt Garwood, Springwater Ward 1 Councillor. "At the end of the day, we're a hockey community. We're a hockey town."
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The Brian English Memorial Hockey Tournament honours its namesake, Brian English, a former referee who died at 26. The tournament has been helping to raise money for numerous causes, including referee clinics, since its inception.
The tournament even offers off-ice help with a chance for the under-18 players to learn about the trades and speak to an educational consultant.
A photo of banners on main street in Elmvale on Sat., Oct. 28 (Ian Duffy/CTV News). "The opportunity to maybe have the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program upstairs is really a unique opportunity. We have over 300 players coming in that niche age group that are going to have to make a decision soon about where they want to go after high school," Coughlin added.
The banners will come down for the days leading up to Remembrance Day, which will be replaced with Christmas decorations through December. But tournament organizers are looking to adorn the streets with hockey-themed banners again for the remainder of the season.
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