Rinks Q9112 anti (Etna

The first recreational rink at Stanley Bridge was located on the ice below Pat Walsh’s (George Carr’s today). The rink was bushed by trees which had to be removed prior to spring break-up. Gas lanterns were used to light the surface. A building, which had a stove in it was hauled to the site and used as a changing room. Building and all went through the ice once and Capt. Miller took rigging off his vessel to lift it. Then everyone pitched in to remove the ice inside and out. This rink was operating around the early 1920’s.

Some eight to ten years later, a group of Stanley Bridge citizens gathered at Miller Fyfe’s to dis— cuss the possibility of building a new rink. This group was spearheaded by Elmore MacKay. Subsequent meetings were held at the factory office. With some persuasion, Mr. Miller Fyfe gave them some land below the factory at the junction of the Campbellton Road (#238) and Stanley Bridge (#6). This group formed a company known as the Stanley Sporting Club.

Lumber was donated to board in the first hockey rink. The electric power for lights was sup- plied by a generator. George Nicholson was said to have wired the rink. Its ice size was small compared with today’s rink standards. A building from the first site was hauled to the location and a well was dug. Water was pumped to flood the ice and ice making was everyone’s job. Due to salt water conditions, the ice was usually ‘soft’. This did not make for good ice for

hockey games.

Stanley’s first team was called the Dairy Kings. The team members were Elmer Hamilton, Urban Walsh, Gordon Fyfe, Elmer Fyfe, John Fyfe, Paul Fleming, and Stanley Cole. Elmore MacKay was the goalie. The teams which competed in this league were: French River, Graham’s Road, SeaView and Stanley Bridge. Refereeing was handled by Wilbur MacKay whose calls were sometimes under dispute. It has been said that a Stanley team member put ‘the fists’ to him more than once. The admission charges ranged from 15 to 20 cents to get in to see the game. The cup for this league was donated by Walter MacKenzie and Thomas Wigmore, two local politicians. The silver in the MacKenzie Wigmore Trophy is said to have been more valuable than the ‘original’ National League Hockey Stanley Cup. How unfortu—

nate that this trophy was lost in a house fire.

People came by horse and sleigh to watch the games. The horses were put in Miller Fyfe’s barn. Carl Woolner remembers a snowstorm that once packed the rink to the top of the boards. Local people turned out with horses, sleighs and shovels to haul the snow from the rink. Interest in hockey remained in ‘high gear’ during this period of time. Lea Reid remembers looking out the school window to see the ‘Fyfe boys’ leaving in the afternoon for a night game at one of the competing rinks - probably French River. Needless to say, Alf Fyfe wasn’t pleased

to be losing ‘his boys’ in mid-afternoon.

The community spirit was evident as local fans accompanied the Stanley team when they trav— elled from one District to another. It is thought that when the Second World War began the hockey teams were disbanded. The rink was then used by the school children for recreational

activities. For those who did not participate in the early hockey games, an excellent place for recreational skating was on Anderson’s Creek. This was sheltered and usually had an excellent

surface. (Below George MacEwen’s house today). Both the men and women met to clean the ice, place their lanterns along the edge of the cleaned surface, and enjoy one another’s cama—

raderie as well as indulge in the healthy exercise.

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