While planning for a trip to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba to compete for the 2023 Centennial Cup is in the works, key members of the Collingwood Blues took a victory lap at Collingwood council on Monday afternoon.
The Blues won game five on April 28 on home ice, finishing their final game against the Trenton Golden Hawks with a 2-1 win earning them the Buckland Cup as the Ontario Junior Hockey League champions. The team will now represent Ontario at the Canadian National Hockey League championships playing for the Centennial Cup from May 11 to 21.
And whether they win or lose at the national level, council passed a motion on Monday to celebrate the team by holding a parade in their honour.
“Hopefully, we’ll be coming back to you in another month or so with another cup,” said team owner Dave Steele. “We’ve taken Collingwood and put them on the map already. We want to be the best in the country. This community deserves that.”
Later in Monday’s meeting, Coun. Kathy Jeffery put forward a motion to have the town put on and assume the costs for a celebratory parade for the Blues, with a tentative date of May 26.
“I think the timing is best for the 26th, so we can celebrate everything,” said Jeffery.
Council voted unanimously in favour of directing staff to organize a parade in honour of the Collingwood Blues, scheduled tentatively for May 26. Coun. Deb Doherty was absent from the meeting.
A report will come back to councillors on May 15 with further details, including a final confirmation of the date.
