Bernie Kruchak
Football has a rich history in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario. Join us in discovering and recovering our sport's hidden heritage.
The first Throwback series searches for our 'lost' fields, those green and sacred spaces that were once lined for football games but over time have become repurposed or paved over.
Nov 23, 2009 At the southeast corner of Rossmere Golf and Country Club, there’s an expanse of green space called Anderson Park that opens up onto Raleigh Street. Before the East Side Eagles moved into their new facility on London Street, Anderson Park was the Eagles’ home field. The stands and clubhouse still remain and are used by the Phoenix Soccer Club.
Oct 19, 2009 Sandwiched between Windsor Park Collegiate and Winakwa Community Centre (north of Cottonwood Road and east of Autumnwood Drive), this current soccer pitch was once home to the Winakwa Warriors Bantam football team. In the 1960s, the squad was coached by Blue Bomber greats Ed Kotowich and Charlie Shepard. The Winakwa program gave Manitoba Bisons' head coach Brian Dobie and former Winnipeg Rifles' head coach Paul Normandeau their start in football. When the program expanded it became the now defunct St. Boniface Warriors and moved to Art McQuat Memorial Park, the current home field of the Greendell Falcons.
Oct 8, 2009 St. Vital’s Norberry Community Centre was once home to the blue and white clad Royals. The football team played on the field behind the club, between St. Mary’s Road and Dunkirk Drive. The dirt edge of a baseball diamond encroached on the field, giving it the feel of an NFL stadium.
Sep 27, 2009 Throughout the 1960s, the Clifton Cougars were one of the strongest teams in Winnipeg's Bantam league. Their annual playoff games with the North Kildonan Lions are legendary. The Cougars played their home games at Clifton Community Club, which sat at the foot of Garbage Hill (Westview Park) in West End Winnipeg. In 2007, the Clifton, Isaac Brock and Orioles community clubs amalgamated and the locale was renamed Valour Community Centre, Clifton Site. Today, the Valour Patriots' grassroots program uses the green fields to practice on.
Sep 21, 2009 The spacious green space just south of River Heights Community Club on Corydon Avenue was once home to the maroon and white-uniformed River Heights Cardinals. Crescentwood now operates the area’s grassroots football program and the field, when it’s not being used for soccer, is an extra practice field for the Grizzlies.
