The Harry Lumley
Bayshore Community Centre was a fine Jr. B arena, if not absolute and complete
overkill, with prospective owners looking into a new millenium, it was
obvious that for the investment in the team to be feisible, that rennovations
would most definitely be necessary, with the building only housing approximately
1800 quality seats, along with a virtually non-existent concourse, for
souvenier and concession sales.
When it became
apparent that a group of locals was trying to coordinate to buy the team,
a small group of volunteers got together to raises pledges to improve the
arena, a group that apparently started with a phone and a shoe box filled
with papers with addresses and phone numbers along with pledge dollars
from every caller. Plater alumni and even some very generous annonymous
excited members of the community as they helped push the numbers up.
Overwhelmed with the public support, rallies and those who showed up at
town hall meetings wearing Platers jerseys, the city of Owen Sound elected
to help the cause.
Watching the
Electric Ice forum for those weeks at the conclusion of the 1999-2000 Platers'
season became, at times like watching a telethon. If the goal could
be reached the team would have a chance to stay in Owen Sound, if it failed,
the chances of ever seeing the OHL in the Grey-Bruce counties would be
insignificant at best. Media, city council, and Platers fans every
where watched the message board for 'live' updates from those who volunteered
their time and efforts to collect the pledges for a drastic rennovations
to the Bayshore. Much of the media outside of the Owen Sound area
regarded these efforts as inspiring, but absolutely futile, still they
soldiered on.
It was an emotional
roller-coaster that started on a very somber note with the mayor of Owen
Sound stating that the city would not be able to retain the Platers and
one week later ended with word that the OHL Commissioner had convinced
the group who was trying to relocate the team from Cornwall to allow the
team to remain in Owen Sound. In all over $1,000,000 was raised privately
with the city chipping in close to 2 million itself for rennovations.
When the Attack are struggling, I think it sometimes best to feel fortunate that there is still the best Junior hockey in the world in Owen Sound and not take that simple fact for granted. The site's mainly dedicated to the fans who fought so hard to keep the team, with a reminder to protect the future while not forgetting the past.
Thanks for a rewarding and wonderful decade of Owen Sound hockey discussion.