Sudbury Cubs repeat!
Hats off to the repeating NOJHL champions who will now be off to the next step; the CJHL “Junior A” Centennial Cup in Calgary! Aundeck Omni Kaning’s cagey veteran Samuel Assinewai completed another all-star season with the club, finishing in third place overall in league scoring with a 1.85 points per game average, amassing 72 points (34G, 38A) in just 39 games! Congratulations as well to assistant trainer Jeff Panamick from M’Chigeeng! Good luck in Alberta, guys!
Youth Ball Tournament!
The roster of teams is still locked at 40 and the event will play host to on and off-Island players and supporters but if anyone wants to be a sponsor and/or help with weekend field maintenance crew? How about those high school students who still need their hours for graduation? Please contact Devin or Greg or email: mindyyouthball@gmail.com.
Save OUR Arena!
The Mindemoya Arena Repair Committee (MARC) is encouraging residents especially youths, young adults and families to get involved in shaping the future of recreation in Central Manitoulin. Whether you’re lacing up for hockey, pushing a stroller on the trail, organizing youth sports, or just want better local spaces to connect and unwind, this is your opportunity to have your say. Join us (today) Wednesday, May 7 at 6 pm at the Mindemoya Hall for a public engagement session that will guide the Municipality’s Recreation Infrastructure Master Plan.
This plan will shape how our community invests in facilities like arenas, parks, fields and gathering spaces for years to come. This is about more than infrastructure it’s about creating healthy, inclusive, and active spaces that reflect the needs of the people who use them now and those who will grow up here in the years ahead. Can’t make the meeting? A survey is open from April 29 to May 31st at centralmanitoulin.ca/recreation-culture. Printed copies are also available at the Municipal Office. Let’s ensure community voices are part of the plan, notably those who will inherit it. Be heard. Be part of it. Help shape what comes next!
Pickleball Points to Expansion!
The MPC (Manitoulin Pickleball Club) continues to grow! Perennial promoter Bud Hebner is pleased to report that they are playing five days of the week at the NEMI Recreation Curling Rink with interest in adding a Saturday to the weekly schedule! Additionally, they play Tuesday and Thursday evenings (at least to the end of May) at Manitoulin Secondary in M’Chigeeng.
Their ranks are now 90 plus members in the MPC now, with numbers expecting to be well over 100 this summer. For anyone 18 years and older wanting to give pickleball a try, they should check out the MPC web site and sign up for a free, Introduction to Pickleball session. Also, for those under 18 years, there is discussions with the town to maybe have a Youth pickleball program this summer for youth 12 to 17 years of age.
With all this increased interest in pickleball, they are sadly lacking adequate indoor and outdoor facilities. In many areas around, tennis courts are being resurfaced/reconstructed to a multi purpose facility with dedicated pickleball and tennis courts on the same site. Bud hopes this can happen here on the Island. They are fortunate in Little Current to have the curling rink in the summer for pickleball but come winter, finding an adequate pickleball play area is challenging.
George Ballantyne is the MPC member that has been trying to expand into Mindemoya with an idea on plans to possibly put some pickleball court lines on their existing tennis courts. The MPC is responsible for starting a Northshore pickleball league involving five North Shore communities. They hope to report on this venture following the first event to be held in Espanola in early May. Show your interest in the sport by contacting the club!
A good sport is good for sports.
