Skating Rinks

Skating in the Gaspe area undoubtedly originated around the beginning of the twentieth century on patches of ice covering rivers and ponds. Gaspe's first rink was built in 1911 on the "Point", now known as Gaspe Harbor. During the next twenty-five years hockey became the dominant winter sport of the area, and eventually, by the 1930's, supported two leagues with eight local teams. This included a team from Sunny Bank called the Rangers.

Around 1930, a group of young men formed the Sunny Bank Rink Club and built its first skating rink. It was situated in a north-south direction on the lowlands near the York River, only a few hundred feet west of the present bridge. The ice surface was approximately the same size as today's regulation size but the boards were slightly lower. Around the outside, about ten feet from the rink, stood a high windbreak built with lumber from the covered bridge demolished in 1932. To the east stood a one room rink house heated with an old wood stove. It represented a community effort to which many youngsters devoted their winters, and consequently, construction and operating costs were practically nil.

The group of youngsters who were responsible for the rink also formed the core of the Sunny Bank Rangers. This team emerged victorious from many of their encounters within the six team Gaspe Junior Hockey League. Most fine Sunday afternoons during winter, crowds would gather to watch the Rangers battle it out. A younger Sunny Bank team, the Maple Leafs, often captured the attention of an audience as well, competing against rivals from Wakeham, York Center of Gaspe...

After another lapse of about fifteen years, some of the same people who were deeply involved in Sunny Bank's last rink decided to try again, this time for their children. A general meeting was called and minutes began as follows: "The first meeting of the York Rink 'General Committee' was held in the York Hall on April 14th (1970) at 8:00 o'clock. Bruce Patterson was in the chair."

These minutes were taken by Harris Miller who later became the secretary, and sixteen people were in attendance. Sub-committees were formed to estimate the material costs of the various aspects of construction. The total of their estimates, as reported to a meeting on April 27, was $4,992.62. This sum was turned down by the York Council but it promised two thousand five hundred dollars in support of the rink. After several months of volunteer labor and a total of 12 meetings, the 185' X 92' rink and three room rink house were completed. The ice was prepared and opened to the public in mid-December 1970.

The new establishment, known as York Youth Center Ltd., is located at the site of the York Playground on property leased from Mrs. Ralph Clark. To the east of the regulation size hockey rink, stands the spacious three-room rink house. It has a main entrance in the center, containing a concession stand and washroom, with a dressing room on either end. Originally the center room was heated with an oil space heater, with wood stoves supplementing heat in the end rooms. In 1977 the Town of Gaspe installed electric heat as part of a renovation program...

Since its opening, the York Rink has been a popular place during the cold winter months. It has provided our minor sports with practice time, children with skating, and teenagers and adults alike with hours of broomball and hockey. Aside from its regular operation, the annual Wakeham-York Carnival brings upwards of 500 people to participate in or watch some of its variety of events. For several winters this carnival raised enough money to pay the entire salary of the caretaker. All in all, rinks have provided Sunny Bankers with a healthy and popular form of exercise for over half a century.

Sunny Bank Rangers (about 1933)
Left to right: Raymond Patterson, Ralph Patterson, Elmer Patterson, Cecil Patterson, Maynard Nelson, Ulric Patterson, Lorne Miller, Stanley Patterson, and Wilson Miller. Missing: Wilton Miller
(Photo from Mrs. Bessie Patterson)

Sunny Banks hockey team 1954
Standing: Gordie Brinton, Erskin Patterson, Weston Vibert (goaler), Lionel Miller, Russell Miller;
Front: Morris Patterson, Lindsay Patterson, Garth Patterson, Bruce Patterson, Wesley Boyle.
(Photo from Mrs. Donna Phillips)

For complete text of the book:
"Sunny Bank, Our Ancestral Home"
CLICK HERE

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