orilia has it , ithink elmira has it .i have been in several,just can't remember
ronrlee....I believe you may have been trying to think of your visits to the rink in Hamilton where the Jr'A Red Wings play, and the newer rink in Baltimore where the now defunct MLH played till a couple of years ago, and maybe even that otherwise beautiful new facility just above Hwy 5 in Oakville where Mark Jooris' Jr.A Blades play out of now. (Not absolutely sure about this last one)
jimc....please take it as a friendly jib, I know you are maybe not getting out to the local rinks as much as you should these days, but unfortunately these hockey games in a cage are springing up everywhere and they are bloody awful. I don't want to get into a typing war about Mad this and Mad that, these days. I have a fondness for support of the Orillia Tundras organization. I traveled up to the opening McCoys/Tundras game at the start of the season at their brand new facility. I was horrified to see a heavy black lobster net/tennis net/whatever, in the face of all seats, and I have not been back, even though I have traveled to other cageless rinks to watch the exciting Tundra story develop. Fortunately, I think(?) Tom Ruff has said that the black netting has recently been replaced with white which is at least somewhat better, as you refereed to in another post.
For those who watched any of the Allen Cup live streaming, I was really impressed with the actual camera work that covered enough of the ice surface so that the play was easy to follow. However they had to deal with the netting being in front of 90% of the camera coverage and by half way through I was actually having eye strain (twitching).
Once I got up to Kenora, luckily there was only four rows of seats and fairly tall glass around the entire rink, so seating was OK. Standing however, was hockey in a cage and I abandoned it real quick. It's just not fare to all us seniors who actually go to "watch" the games.
While I'm at it, a different complaint but simialar. The Burlington Cougers Jr.A team plays in a rink called the Wave, where some sort of mezzanine design revision debacle made watching a game so horrendous that after going once a couple of years ago, I will never ever go back. So much so that even if the McCoys were playing there I would refuse to go..ever!
End of rant....for now at least, but probably not forever.
P.S. coming home I opted for the Kenora> Winnipeg drive route. Some gorgeous scenery to be sure on the ride through and west of town, with the highway hugging the winding water way. Similar views to the best of Muskoka North of Orillia. And my final rant....there were no high cement barriers installed along the side of the road to block your sight of the magnificent views, like has been installed on our new highway up through Muskoka, so cottagers can get to there cottages real fast only to turn around and get home real fast, while little Johnny is firmly seated with eyes fixed on the vehicles video monitor, rather than taking in the natural surrounding beauty, dotted by "group of seven" treats that change with every shade of light and season.
So now that I have revealed that I also have a negative side, let me revert and thank the following amongst others deserving;
Bearskin Airlines for a most interesting no security, no flight deck door, 19 seater prop engine flight from T-Bay into Kenora via Ft. Frances (where we dropped one passenger, to bring the count down to two. Their Motto is, Let The Bear Take You There, and they did it on time. Imagine that! It was so much fun that after my scalp wounds healed from wacking my head against the roof (4 times) upon entry, I really didn't want it to end anyway.
Annie, the owner of our favorite restaurant in town, for being such a friendly host and serving great food. I would highly recommend a visit to anyone.
The entire group responsible for putting on the Allan Cup 2011 in Kenora, Ontario, Canada.
The old acquaintances that I was able to see once again, and the new faces that were a pleasure to meet.
All the participating teams, and the well deserving champions, the CLARENVILLE CARIBOUS, who gave me a chance to continue cheering once my team had been eliminated. I'm getting a little tired of saying that the last three years, but the reality is, it's not an easy thing to win. I wonder if the 'Bous' realize yet just what they have accomplished. No need to worry though. The longer it takes them, I'm sure the better it will get.
And last but not least, my driver Richie who got me back to the Winnipeg airport just in time to miss my flight. The 3 hr. & 20 min. wait for another flight didn't bother me at all. I had just come from another good time at the Allan Cup and nothing was going to spoil it.