May 28 - Westmount Independent

12 – WESTMOUNT INDEPENDENT – May 28, 2013
‘One of the best-spirited family days:’ Deegan
Family Day: rain but not a ‘wash-out’
By Laureen Sweeney
It drizzled, rained off and on and even
poured down a few times, but this year’s
Westmount Family Day was not a washout
as some may have thought.
There were soggy socks from the kids
who played on the inflatable games, which
require the removal of shoes and boots.
There was little waiting time at some attractions
but long line-ups at others. The
only thing cancelled was the morning
races, said Sports and Recreation director
Mike Deegan.
“Considering the weather, it was one of
the best-spirited family days I’ve seen,” he
said. “Those who came had a really good
time.”
All 25 teams totalling 150 players who
had registered for the street hockey tournament
turned up and played their games,
said sports coordinator Bruce Stacey, who
was in charge of setting up the tournaments
boards the night before with a
group of volunteers, along with Public
Works personnel.
“The tournament went so well,” he
said, “that we’ve had requests for it to become
an annual event.” It was introduced
this year as a fundraiser for the Westmount
recreation centre.
Westmount Park’s leaking lagoon was
filled for the day. A long-time favourite activity
at family day is the army’s aerial runway
across the water that comes with a
long line-up. This year, some participants
could even take more than one trip across.
The terrain was so slippery, however, one
soldier running the pulley down the bank
went right into the lagoon, to the great
amusement of one 6-year-old.
At a new jumping feature, however, the
line-up at 12 noon was so long that one
anxious father was told the waiting time
would be one hour.
Photos by Ralph Thompson
Fearless 5-year-old
Vera Gaty jumps
on the Eurobungy
trampoline.
continued on p. 13
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The NRG Boys won the top fundraising team grand prize of the street hockey tournament. Their prize
was a Bell Centre Loge for 12 people. The Allstars won the tournament lottery fundraising team prize,
which included VIP family invitations to the new Westmount recreation centre opening ceremony.
Tournament winners included the Cobras (boys 14 and under), VSM Archangels (girls and women),
the Ice Holes (family and friends) and Hockey Without Borders (men’s 15 and over). See photo, p. 1.