The Innisfail Eagles are already rolling up their sleeves and getting to work weeks before the first puck is even dropped for the season.
Eagles brass is busy in the community building up enthusiasm in their quest for an Allan Cup. And why not? Brian Sutter is a proven winner, and what was once Bentley's pride now belongs to hockey loving fans of Innisfail.
The great thing the scribbler has always loved about the AAA senior men's circuit is that these fellows play only for the love of the game. Few if any draw any sort of meaningful pay to play. They all have day jobs. Most have families. And no matter how tired they are after a hard day's work they're at the rink polishing their skills to bring a championship home for the community.
So maybe it's time to ask this question: How much does the community owe to a group of men who show such hard work, dedication and sacrifice?
This question was certainly implied at the Sept. 9 regular town council meeting.
Team officials asked for council's blessing to hand over more wall space at the Innisfail Arena for the Eagles to hang sponsorship recognition signs. Council was told the signs are necessary for the team to secure private funding for championship road trips, including the big one this season to Dundas, Ont. to play in the Allan Cup. We are looking at tens and tens of thousands of dollars the team has to raise.
Mayor Jim Romane brought up the issue that the arena is running on a $500,000 annual operating cost, and that board advertising already in place helps offset that – not much mind you, but those pennies do add up. The good mayor wanted council members to at least talk about whether wall advertising should at least be considered as a potential revenue maker for the town, even if it should come from the Eagles and their fine hard-working men.
The discussion never really got very far. Coun. Mark Kemball noted quite correctly that the Eagles give back plenty to the community. When all was said and done Romane even admitted that the Eagles are an entity that should be given a pass on the idea of handing over a piece of that revenue pie.
In the end council unanimously agreed to let the Eagles have the wall space, a decision that not only makes practical sense but also shows the town cares about civic pride. There is nothing like a good hockey team to raise a community's morale, especially when one considers the storylines behind the players – men who work hard all day but gladly suit up at night to play Canada's game for the community.
Last week Canada Post sent out a press release about a new stamp series to recognize the passion hockey fans have for their favourite hockey teams.
Lisa Raitt, minister of transport and responsible for Canada Post, noted that almost every Canadian has a memory that relates to hockey. “And those memories are part of who we are as a country,” she said.
Innisfail already has plenty of hockey memories. Today Innisfailians want new ones, memories that are part of who they are as a thriving modern Alberta Prairie town. With the community's support, symbolized by council's wise decision on Sept. 9, the Eagles move forward with the cherished honour of creating them.
