Polished and shiny as ever, the Stanley Cup will make its way to the Greater Victoria community of Oak Bay this week to mark the region’s shining moment in the hockey spotlight.
100 years ago, at an Oak Bay arena that burned down in 1929, the Victoria Cougars hoisted hockey’s holy grail after topping the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“Of all the many great sports moments that hockey has enjoyed on Vancouver Island, the Victoria Cougars’ victory over the Montreal Canadiens is the greatest,” said Victoria Hockey Legacy Society co-chair John Wilson.
To mark the team’s momentous victory, Oak Bay, in partnership with the VHLS, is hosting a raft of events between March 27 and 30.
Thursday, March 27: Hot Stove and Music Night at the Bard and Banker Pub (5:30 p.m.)
Brian Burke, Greg Adams and Archie Henderson will field questions from attendees about the NHL and hockey history at 6 p.m.
A song contest asked artists to submit an original composition honouring the Victoria Cougars’ iconic win. The three finalists, chosen by an independent panel of music experts, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Attendees can vote for their favourite singer. The winner will snag a whopping $5,000.
Friday, March 28: Legacy Monument Ceremony at Oak Bay High (11 a.m.)
Catch the re-unveiling of a hockey monument in the parking lot in front of the school.
Saturday, March 29: Century Celebration Community Festival at the Oak Bay Recreation Centre (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
The community recreation centre on Bee Street will boast a collection of fun events for all to enjoy, including live music, blind and sledge hockey games, and access to a synthetic ice rink. Oak Bay and Victoria first responders will face off for a ball hockey game at 3 p.m.
Sunday, March 30: Century Celebration Community Festival at the Oak Bay Recreation Centre (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Penny Farthing Pub hot stove (4 p.m. onwards)
More live music will follow the Saturday event, including a performance from multi-award-winning recording artist and international cabaret star Diane Pancel. The recreation centre’s ice rink will be open all day for free skating. The Stanley Cup will be on display from noon to 4 p.m. Gather later at the Penny Farthing Pub where NHL alumni will share hockey stories during a special hot-stove session.
To find out more about these events, visit vhls.ca.
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