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Views from Section 9 - My Game Day Tour of Memorial Gardens

Longtime North Bay hockey coach, father of former NHLer Darren Turcotte, and superintendent of the Labreche Forum, is back to give us his perspective in "Views from Section 9.

Longtime North Bay hockey coach, father of former NHLer Darren Turcotte, and superintendent of the Labreche Forum, is back to give us his perspective in "Views from Section 9."

Before today's view, I should have mentioned that the line heading to Scott Abbott, thru Section 5, also goes by our Mayor Al and his wife Wendy's seat. Sorry for the oversight. Forward to today's view.

I usually leave the house about 90 minutes prior to a Battalion game.

The handicapped parking spaces are usually full by this time so I head to my special spot nearby.

I enter the south end entrance and right away I can smell the pizza.

Pretty hard to pass up at times. Then forward to my 60 minute journey around the building.

I often run into Battalion fans that were my former students, former colleagues, and friends from the past. Just like homecoming at times.

Usually my first stop is in the press box area to visit my buds (Doogie, Bruce, Vince, Mike, Jordan and Chris) before they get down to their game duties.

Then down the stairs and around the end zone opposite my working desk.

There are sure some old cronies (Jimbo, Stu, Mayor Hec, etc..) in what used to be the Hall of Fame Room. That area seems to be a great viewing area.  I then continue my oval loop around the rink, behind the Visitors bench then the Home bench.

I always have a shivering peek at the Bert Templeton etched out sign on the upper glass behind the bench. It seems like it has faded a bit and its location is not centered as it was before. I guess I can assume, because the lengthening of the ice surface by 10 feet had something to do with this.

Hope that this can be worked on this summer. Then it is to the south end zone and to my desk. The warm-up is usually over by then, so I ready myself for the game.

I do have a few queries that I ask myself.

Where are the banners that were strung across the North end? Where are the trophies  and their cases that were in the main entrance area? And what about the Hall of Fame Room? It is sad that no one seems to have an idea what the plans are for these items. 

Until my next view, hope to see you during the Divisional Finals.