BONNYVILLE – A historic Bonnyville milestone will be marked on Dec. 16 at the RJ Lalonde Arena.
For nearly 70 years, the Bonnyville community has been synonymous with a love of hockey and the Pontiacs’ name.
On Friday, the legacy of the Bonnyville Pontiacs that first began with a competitive senior men's team in 1952, will be acknowledged during the Senior Pontiacs 70th anniversary game against the Devon Barons.
“The men's very first game played under the Bonnyville Pontiac name was played Dec. 16, 1952, in St. Paul – they started on the road,” explained Dennis Germain, the Senior Bonnyville Pontiacs’ executive director.
Laurier Sylvestre, an original player of the 1952 team, will be dropping the puck at Friday’s anniversary game. Prior to the puck dropping, opening ceremonies will begin in the RJ Lalonde Arena starting at 7:30 p.m.
A pre-game presentation will include speeches from Town of Bonnyville Mayor Elisa Brosseau, MD of Bonnyville Reeve Barry Kalinski and the riding’s MLA, David Hanson.
A video tribute marking the legacy of the Pontiac name, the players, and the teams that made the Bonnyville community known for its skills on the ice, will also be played on the arena’s brand-new jumbo screen.
The anniversary game is important for several reasons, explained Germain, “It’s a game that could determine who will get the last playoff position in the [Senior ‘AA’] North Central Hockey League.”
So far this season, the Sr. Pontiacs have played 10 games, racking up three wins and seven losses for a total of six points.
“Our last game was a fairly convincing win over the Morinville Kings, who are in third place,” he noted.
In recent weeks, the Bonnyville team has seen a number of additions to the roster that will hopefully assist in boosting the group's overall competitiveness as the Sr. Pontiacs take on the league’s two top teams in the new year.
"We've built up the team and we think we're going to be a lot better going into the rest of the season,” said the executive director. “It doesn't get easier for us and that's why this game against Devon is so critical.”
Germain hopes that the Bonnyville community and the 71 seasons of Pontiacs’ alumni will come out to cheer the current Pontiacs on to victory.
“There’s no doubt we'll see some of the familiar faces that used to be at the old Bonnyville arena and at the RJ over the years as well,” he added.
A legacy
The men’s hockey team that played in the years prior to the Pontiacs were known as the Bonnyville Bruins.
“The Bruins had been around for a number of years, but they had mismatched sweaters and socks, and played outdoors,” said Germain.
"It was decided on that they needed a consistent look for their team and the (Bonnyville) Tribune said something to the effect that ‘We want to make sure that our players will be smartly dressed when playing and will always give the impression that they come from a good town’.”
The newspaper clipping that Germain referenced began: “This town’s senior hockey team, formerly known as the Bruins, will now be called the ‘The Bonnyville Pontiacs,’ effective immediately. This change came about when the manager of the Bonnyville Hockey Club, Mr. Charles Beaupre, received the extra good news from the owner of Central Motors, Alex Lochansky, that he would like to see the local hockey players properly dressed in new hockey uniforms.”
Lochansky's brother Walter, was a player on the Bonnyville’s senior men's team. The duo’s car dealership was known for selling Pontiac vehicles, according to Germain – and the rest is history.
Germain has been on the senior team’s board for nearly 40 years. And while he never donned a Pontiacs’ jersey himself, his father Rollie Germain, was a team trainer and manager for many years.
“I think it's important to reflect back on the previous teams and where it all started because the team is still functioning and we're a very integral part of Bonnyville’s history,” he said.
“We had championship teams through many, many years and that brought a lot of pride to the community. That’s why we have a Junior A franchise, and there was no question that it was going to be called the Pontiacs.”
Now, all Bonnyville Minor Hockey also plays under the namesake of the town’s original Pontiacs teams.
“The success of the original Pontiacs men's hockey teams established Bonnyville as a hockey town that loved the sport and many of our notable citizens played on the teams – the Brosseaus, the Vallees,” he listed.
The future of the Senior Pontiacs
While minor hockey and the success of the Jr. A Pontiacs continues to grow, Germain acknowledged that senior men’s hockey does not have the same impact it used to.
“At one time, senior men's hockey was the biggest game in town by far, and the old arena used to be packed with people,” he recalled.
The Seniors Bonnyville team still has a strong core of roughly 125 supporters and is backed by a business community that wants the legacy to continue.
So, what does the future of the Senior Bonnyville Pontiacs look like?
“It's really hard to say, I think it'll depend more so on the availability of talent. That’s becoming more and more of a problem. It's a working man's league,” acknowledged Germain, noting many would-be-players are also often spending time at the rink with their own children who are playing minor hockey.
“We are in a very competitive league... as such, it's good hockey. So, if we can stay competitive, we'll probably keep on, if not, well who knows what's going to happen in the future.”
