Assiniboia welcomes Weyburn Red Wings with open arms during ammonia shutdown
3h ago
Billets were found for all Red Wings players in just four hours.
There’s no place like home — and for the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Weyburn Red Wings home is now temporarily in Assiniboia, southwest of Regina.
This decision came after two ammonia leaks in Weyburn’s arena ice plant chiller, rendering their home ice un-usable.
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With playing games in Weyburn off the table for the foreseeable future, the team made the decision to find a temporary home.
Ultimately the team landed on Assiniboia, which was quickly able to make accommodations for them.
After a Facebook post asking for families who were willing to billet players, Steph Vandesype, Recreation and Community Wellness Manager for the Town of Assiniboia said it took just hours before each player had a billet family.
“We never dreamt (that) four hours later we would have more than enough billets,” said Vandesype. “(It) was to the point that we actually had to turn some away.”
Vandesype said there are 16 billet families for the 23 players, and many families were asked to double up on billets. Each family will be compensated $175 per billet.
Minor hockey in Assiniboia sacrificed some practices and the Southern Rebels of the Prairie Junior Hockey League sacrificed their dressing room for the two weeks the Red Wings are in town.
Vandesype said supporting the Red Wings been a very chaotic and very exciting process to be a part of.
“We’ve got to spend over 24 hours with these guys, and what a great group of guys,” said Vandesype.
“They are friendly and they are helpful and are such a good group of kids and coaching staff and team staff.”
It didn’t take long for the Red Wings to welcome themselves into the community — on Thursday the team visited schools, speaking with kids and handing out free tickets.
“They emerged themselves into the community instantly,” said Vandesype.
“They were at the school hanging with the kids, they’ve been on the ice playing some shinny, they showed up to some hockey practices .. to help the coaches out.”
Vandesype said it had been fun getting to know each Red Wing and hearing their stories.
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