CFN – I love Hockey. I’ve worked in hockey. I traveled with the Old Timer’s Legends teams; Marty Brodeur, the greatest goalie to ever play in the NHL did his first Autograph Signing session for my company. I’ve created Hockey cards! I’ve seen things.
I don’t get why two very different teams can’t share one building that needs to be used. Surely there is enough ice to go around? What would Don Cherry say?
While it’s difficult to make events work at the best of times what’s happening in Cornwall right now is not the right message we want to send to young people.
That message being that people simply can’t work together in this city. The Civic Complex is a publicly owned facility. It needs to recoup revenue, but it also needs to serve the community.
With the reports that Mayor Bob Kilger gave a three year deal to the Colts knowing that the River Kings would need some of those boards and ad dollars to survive this surely sends a horrible message to our community and to businesses that might consider trying to start in Cornwall which already finishes at the bottom of most registers of ability for Entrepreneurship.
Today the mayor and his staff were nowhere to be found. No city councilors voicing out. Nobody from Economic Development making a statement.
Silence. The sticking of the collective head in the sand.
While the River Kings might have issues owner Bernie Villeneuve put his and his partners money on the line. They still wanted to do so; but are artificially and what some might consider pettily destroyed.
It makes this writer never want to darken a Colts game until this is remedied and never if the Kings are allowed to die because of backroom Rink dealings.
What do you think Cornwall? Will you boycott the Colts until this is resolved fairly?
You can post your comments below.
Hi Jamie,
Before, I could start ranting & raving about this situation, much more information will have to be heard ? I attend several Colts & Kings games & I must admit a preference for the Kings, but that’s just my opinion. Mr. Villeneuve, “imo” didn’t do his cause any good, with his rant at City Hall this morning. Apart from their issues with the City, the Kings are having serious internal issues, regarding their GM, as was reported in the press ?
Their is absolutely no reason, both teams cannot co-exist at the Complex ? For CH—- sake, what is our City Administration up to ? The Complex is killing us with a huge yearly debt & the crew at 340 Pitt, are shooing businesses away ? Someone at the City, I would love an answer ? It has to be answered by Administration, because all of our elected officials are tongue tied ?
Jamie:
I for one am not worried about hockey..why u may ask
Because the end is near
University students chanting about underage rape during frosh week at St Marys Novia Scotia..then when exposed they present an excuse meant for a two year old
A fake lynching of a black statue at Leons
Cornwall Mayor hiding under his desk while one of the biggest draws at the civic complex will probably head out of town
You should start calling him Nero…fiddlin while Cornwall burns
story
Saint Mary’s University says it will conduct a special review to find out why student leaders were chanting about non-consensual underage sex …DUUHHHH
Mayor Kilger wasn’t at the press conference, but he was at city hall, and just after noon, he addressed the situation with several members of the media. says Freeholder
But he must have been hiding from CFN after sending them to Civic Complex for a press conference that was held out under an old “apple” tree near city hall
Bernie should have started singing..Come Out Come Out wherever You are Bobby K
Nothing surprises me anymore with Kilger and Council’s antics. No Colts games for me or my family.
It’s all about money…..and Kilger has been fiddling a long time!
Colts were here first. Villeneuve has proved to be at best eccentric yesterday. And I just don’t care.
Jamie:
How about a live video update…is Villeneuve really outside City Hall…its pretty darn cold out there.
Cold to seems to be the reaction from Cornwall Hockey Town
don’t see any of the rage that happens here when Language issue comes up…
Guess like 420 says….Most just don’t care????
I don’t like this style of hockey..but..Cornwall needs to have something going for it…more than big box warehouses and half finished shopping Malls
Please Mr Mayor..stay in town this weekend…work out this mess
I agree. I think there is a solution to this if there would only be political will. Trying to hide behind the bs contract is not an answer. It might be in a courtroom; but not in the eyes of River King fans, and frankly the two teams pumping money and people through the tills is what’s good for this city.
Why give such an uneven advantage to the Colts?
Here’s a solution. The Colts get 90K this year and 45K for the last year of the BS contract. The Kings get 25% of the ad revenue this year and 50% next year.
If the city can’t help mediate that out then someone should resign or be fired; especially if it means the end of the River Kings in Cornwall.
Mr Jamie
a well thought out reply..thank you
Just watched old youtube video of River Kings first press conference..its sad to see how few people presented remain with the team…for whatever reasons
It was interesting to see councillor Murphy talking about how the two hockey teams should get along for the best of Cornwall
Don’t pretend to know all the back room dealing..but sure doesn’t seem things have worked out this way
My last thought..they never should have named the arena after a living politician..and the money losing rink he brought to town will seem all the more pointless if yet another major hockey team leaves.
There’s an irony about Mr. Lumley and this city that we’ll be writing about one day….not today, but one day…
“Marty Brodeur, the greatest goalie to ever play in the NHL”
His father Denis Brodeur greatest Montreal Canadiens Photojournalist and Olympic games goalie
Dave Stubbs Montreal Gazette story that should be read by any aspiring photographer
MONTREAL — The most famous sports photograph in Canadian history is, in fact, two mirror-image photos, and the story behind how Denis Brodeur’s breathtaking shot came to be is every bit as remarkable as the event it captures.
http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/09/29/1972-summit-series-photograpy-a-piece-of-history/
CP I was in Mr. Brodeur’s home in St. Leonard a few times. It was a real treasure..seeing some of his greatest pics and of course his Olympic mask…
Old school saying, two wrongs do not make a right and that seems to be your line of thought.
Dave the line of thought of this “opinion” piece is that the Colts were given a very unfair contract because of the Colt owners relationship with the Mayor at the expense of the City and Mr. Villeneuve. This is all about money.
And if it’s all about money I simply am sharing an “opinion” that it should all be about money. IF this is a just another Kilger hustle to shake Mr. Villeneuve out as owner then people should stop it. It doesn’t mean that Bernie is a great owner, but he wrote the cheques with his partners that brought the Kings to Cornwall. He doesn’t deserve to be treated this way by the City.
Why should my family stop going to Colts games? I think the Colts were in there first, but I don’t know when they were given the deal for advertising. Even if the deal was made after the announcement the River Kings were coming to town, due diligence should have been followed and any issues addressed at that time, not now. We enjoy seeing these young kids going after a dream and a lot of them make it come true after playing here with the Colts. We, as a family will continue to support the Colts.
“Colts were given a very unfair contract because of the Colt owners relationship with the Mayor at the expense of the City and Mr. Villeneuve”
Sorry to be a bother, but how do you know this for certain or is it just speculation?