Friday, September 25, 2009

Hockey Canada / Montreal Canadiens build a rink in Verdun

Guy, a few months back alerted us to the fact that a new rink was going to be built in Verdun ( Willibrord Park,I believe)..Well just a few minutes ago.I saw on TSN a segment on building new rinks in Canada, and this one was mentioned.So I looked up on the net, & found this article about the joint venture: 

June 30, 2009
NR.102

HOCKEY CANADA FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH
MONTREAL CANADIENS CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE OUTDOOR COMMUNITY RINK IN THE BOROUGH OF VERDUN

MONTREAL, Que. – The Hockey Canada Foundation announced on Tuesday a partnership with the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation that will contribute to the funding of the construction of the third BLEU BLANC BOUGE outdoor community rink in the borough of Verdun, in the City of Montreal.

The Hockey Canada Foundation is raising funds to support this project at the sixth-annual Hockey Canada Foundation gala and golf tournament, being held in Montreal on June 29-30. Seventy-five per cent of funds raised will be directed to assist the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation in building a third outdoor community rink in two years, as part of its BLEU BLANC BOUGE program.

RELATED LINKS

» Hockey Canada Foundation Gala

““We are very proud that the Hockey Canada Foundation and Hockey Canada can partner with the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation in this, the Canadiens’ 100th anniversary season, to allow the youth population of less-privileged neighborhoods of Montreal to learn about the game of hockey and discover the advantages of a healthy and physically active lifestyle,” said Hockey Canada Foundation board member Barry Lorenzetti, who is also co-chairing the event organizing committee. “In that regard, we are also pleased to be able to support the BLEU BLANC BOUGE program, an initiative which shows that this great hockey franchise is not only honoring the past but, through its foundation, is determined to provide a better and healthier future for children in need.”

The BLEU BLANC BOUGE program was launched by the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation on January 20, 2009 when the first refrigerated outdoor multipurpose community rink was inaugurated in the François-Perrault Park in the Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension borough. The foundation announced today the selection of the borough of Montreal Nord for the built of its second outdoor community rink. Construction work will begin in August 2009 in Le Carignan Park. Exceptionally, the foundation takes this opportunity to announce that the application of the borough of Verdun was chosen for the construction of the third rink. The foundation has decided to anticipate this gift to be part of a development project already underway in the park Willibrord. This rink will be erected in spring 2010.

The annual Hockey Canada Foundation gala and celebrity golf tournament brings together Hockey Canada’s gold medal-winning teams and distinguished Team Canada alumni and raises funds for the Hockey Canada Foundation, which supports the growth of the game in Canada through various initiatives and programs, including collaborating with other charitable organizations such as the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation.

For more information:
Noel Fader Director, Fund Development

                      ...Nice to see support for kids these days,....maybe we can get some photos of the new rink, it looked good on TV ( if that was the one ) it looked like a lot of newer style buildings around there,sort of like Lasalle had years ago ,those white brick duplex's ?  ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,HF&RV

    ..OK I see the rink is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2010, so the one I saw on TV was one of the first of three to be built..........still looked neat.......   HF&RV

 

3 comments:

Guy Billard said...

Les,
Yes this is the rink I was talking about. It is an outdoor rink with artificial ice wich means the rink can be used all yearound in principle and is part a complete playground project wich will cover all the land from behind city hall to Bannantyne. I have some information on it but the drawing is not very good. You can see it on the City of Montreal website by clicking on the Verdun borough.
You can be sure I will be one of the first one to take a photo when it is finished wich I will post. The Willibrord park was one of my major hangouts when I was young growing up in Verdun as many other Verdunites, thus my interest in the area.
Guy

Diane Roberts said...

This is great news! Willibrord Park was the only place I skated, besides the streets. You never know, Next time I visit (usually in early fall),I just might head to Verdun with a pair of skates and relive my childhood skating at Willibrord Park rink. First, I think I'd better start practicing!...Diane

Steve Gladwish said...

This is great. Will really change the park.I would like to see pictures when u get them too.
Next time home I will make a stop to check it out.