When most North Bay residents were relaxing or still sleeping early in the morning on New Year’s Day, Butch Turcotte was outside shovelling the light dusting of snow from his backyard rink.
You see, 2017 marks the 40th anniversary of the well known outdoor rink called the Labreche Forum, located on the shores of Parks Creek.
Butch says when he first bought the West Ferris home, his key pre-requisite was having enough room in the backyard to build an outdoor rink.
“I started the rink with railway ties as boards for the rink,” recalls the 74-year-old.
“Eventually I got used boards from the city and it now measures 36 feet by 72 feet. I have a light post in the neighbours back yard that lights up the rink in the evening and the electricity is fed from the house.”
That outdoor rink was important as it’s the place where his son Darren Turcotte forged his 12-year NHL career – and a place other NHL players like Kevin and Derian Hatcher skated on back when they were Darren’s teammates with the North Bay Centennials.
“It was always just somewhere where we could come home from school and see how fast you could get your skates on to get out there,” said Turcotte who brings his Nipissing Lakers Varsity Women’s team to the rink for at least one annual skate.
“It’s always been busy back there after school and it continues to be so there’s kids that take advantage of the outdoor facility still and I think that’s one of the main reasons he does it.”
Darren believes Butch takes pride in the rink and always wants to be the first and last outdoor rink to be operating.
“He takes pride in making sure his rink is the first one that is skate-able,” said Darren.
“There are easier ways he could do it like if he bought a 50 by 80 foot tarp and use that as a base but he’s old school and he uses the snow as his base and goes from there. So if it doesn’t snow he can’t have his rink even if it was -30 and no snow he’d probably try and do something. He’d probably go down to West Ferris or Pete Palangio and grab the snow from the zamboni - and he has done that in the past to pack a bit on the side.”
Forty years is a long time for maintaining the rink but the former North Bay Trappers head coach likes nothing more than seeing the smiling faces of youngsters playing the game he loves.
“The biggest part of the rink is having family over for skates,” said Butch as grandson Gordie and granddaughter Gracie frequent the forum in the winter.
“My grandchildren are special to me and the rink is theirs whenever.”
Darren added every year Butch tells him he’s not building a rink this year and then as soon as the snow flies the first time he’s got the boards up.
“It’s not only seeing the kids out there but he sees people who have played on the rink bringing their kids to the rink. He doesn’t ask for help even though there are people willing to help like the Martineau family, they are the first ones over there and they come over and shovel.”
Butch believes it’s important to keep the rink going and in the past he has said the neighbourhood players are like sons to him and continuing to maintain the legendary rink makes him feel young again.
