Some upset over N.S. hockey tournament change of venue
The Riverview Red Cup, a popular high school hockey tournament in Cape Breton, will soon have a new home for the first time in more than four decades.
The event is one of the most prestigious high school sporting events in the Maritimes. It typically attracts thousands of people to the Sydney-area and creates an atmosphere both the players and community look forward to each year.
A spokesperson for the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional Centre for Education says the tournament will move from the older County Arena in Coxheath, N.S. to a much more modern facility in the Membertou Sports and Wellness Centre.
In an email, they say the move is being made to provide an accessible facility for athletes and fans.
Some say they are worried the change will take away from what the tournament is known for.
“To me - it's disappointing. I think we could've had a discussion about some of the challenges they faced, and we have over the years, and I think we've met those challenges,” says Paul MacDonald the manager of facilities for the CBRM, which operates County Arena. ”I think it's a safe building. We've never had any concerns from anybody, and if we have we've dealt with them and adapted to them. I'm very confident we could host this event easily and safely at the County Arena.”
But Riverview High School is advocating for the construction of closer adequate athletic and recreational facilities for students. They say suitable facilities would enable Riverview to host superlative high school athletic tournaments in all sports for years to come.
For now, some think it is the wrong move.
“They're 16, 17, 18-year-old kids and they're allowed to have fun - and they're just taking that away from them,” says hockey fan Brent Desveaux. “We all know the mystic of the Red Cup with Riverview High School, that's what kids strive for after Christmas. They're basically taking it all away from them. They can have a Red Cup at Membertou, but it won't be the same.”
Paul MacDonald says the municipality would still be willing to have a discussion about bringing the tournament back to County Arena in the future.
The event is set to begin Feb. 3rd.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Leonardo DiCaprio criticizes Ottawa over B.C. salmon farms
Salmon farms have long been a point of contention between environmentalists and fish farmers in British Columbia, but a much bigger net is now being cast on the topic.
Flight from Israel to New Jersey diverted to New York state due to high winds, turbulence
High winds and turbulence have forced a United Airlines flight from Israel to be diverted from its destination of Newark Airport in New Jersey to Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, N.Y..
Vancouver rapper falls on ice during Canucks game performance
The Vancouver Canucks weren’t the only ones who stumbled during Thursday night’s game against the Dallas Stars.
Snow-covered bodies of 2 men from Senegal found in New York woods near Canadian border
Two men from Senegal froze to death were found in the snow of a wooded area close to the Canadian border, New York state police said.
This historical tavern in Toronto is closing after nearly 200 years
An historic downtown Toronto bar is closing its doors next week after nearly 200 years in business.
For years she thought her son had died of an overdose. The police video changed all that
Austin Hunter Turner died in 2017, on a night that his mother has rewound and replayed again and again, trying to make sense of what happened.
Feeling older than you are? It could be how you sleep
Not getting enough sleep may cause you to feel five to 10 years older than you really are, according to two new studies.
Manhattan DA suggests Donald Trump violated gag order with post about daughter of hush-money trial judge
Manhattan prosecutors suggested Friday that Donald Trump violated a gag order in his hush-money criminal case this week by assailing the judge's daughter and making a false claim about her on social media.
Niagara Region 'proactively' declares state of emergency ahead of total solar eclipse
Niagara Region says it has declared a state of emergency 'out of an abundance of caution' as it prepares for an influx of visitors for next month’s total solar eclipse.