Oh, so that’s what improvements look like.
I recall my first memorable view of the downtown 50/50 intersection when I was here for a brief visit in 1992. There was a fenced off hole in the ground and in it, vestigial remains of what must have been a significant demolition.
It’s 2019 now and given the use of the site, or lack thereof, I’m inclined to think that the hole set a high water mark for the development of the land over the last 29 years.
That’s not to say that we shouldn’t keep trying to make things better, and the “I” in WIMPS stands for “improvement.”
Whether or not any can be seen by our peers or occasional spectators should not deter us from our core mission, which is essentially happiness, hockey and kaizen taped together as tightly as our shin pads.
Unfortunately for my 45-plus cohort, that trajectory of improvement will briefly become discontinuous as we vacate the ice on Feb. 16. Regulars and casuals alike are advised not to show up at the Multiplex unless they want to stick around and watch the Yellowknife Skating Club’s Ice Show ($20 for tickets, guys).
Not to be confused with those other WIMPS who play on Saturday, it will be business as usual for them, so consider dropping by the Yk Community Arena just before 6:30 p.m. to see what’s shaking there.
One thing which has been recurring faithfully for the last 35 years is the Balsillie Cup, Yellowknife’s premier hockey tournament for players who were alive when Pete Rose doubled to right field for career hit number 4,000 while playing for the greatest organization in MLB history.
The invitations for B-Cup version 36 have gone out and I urge my Wednesday/Saturday buddies to sign up to play in the division reserved for players who are older than Alanis Morissette. As in previous years, not only the success, but the existence, of that division depends on your strength in numbers.
Blue line stalwart Jacques LaMarche is herding the cats, at least the ones on their seventh or eighth life, so please announce to him your interest in participating in a timely fashion. Your help with some of the off-ice tournament duties would also be appreciated. Last year it amounted to watching a few guys eat chicken in the bleachers. Odd as it may seem, that was a necessary function.
Once you reach our age, your body will educate you about all kinds of necessary functions.