Hundreds of supporters for Schomberg charity pond hockey

March 11, 2015 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte
Two pieces of local history are closer to being back on the road after a charity pond hockey tournament raised thousands of dollars for repairs.
The first annual Restoration Classic took place earlier this month, with around 150 skaters hitting the ice to raise funds to keep two early-1900s fire trucks on the road in Schomberg.
More than $7,000 was raised in the one-day tournament, played over five ice pads on Ansnorveldt’s Spray Lake last Sunday.
“The tournament was a huge success,” said Randy Shepherd, acting Captain of Station 36 in Schomberg. “We’re currently sourcing parts and shops to do the work to get the 1940 back on the road. The plan is to fix the front-end suspension as well as the driveline issues.”
The trucks in question are a 1926 International Lorne Fire Pump, as well as a 1940 Ford two-ton truck, both in need of major repairs to be able to get back into local parades and gatherings.
The “Hose Teasers” from Bradford took home the championship, earning entry fees into the 2016 Canadian Pond Hockey Championship in Huntsville. They defeated the “Sunday Boys” from home town Schomberg in the final game 19-17.
It was an exciting atmosphere throughout the day, as a barbecue and a stop-in from Red Bull promoters kept those off the ice fed and hydrated.
An overwhelming success in its first year, the Schomberg station hopes to make the tournament a staple in the community for years to come.
“From future tournaments we’ll continue the restoration process,” said Shepherd.
The domain name www.restorationclassic.ca has recently been registered to keep the public updated on the progress of the trucks, as well as provide info on next year’s tournament.
Shepherd and Schomberg Fire would like to thank their sponsors for the event, including Spray Lake, The Ranch Wake Park, Trisan Construction, King Fire and Emergency Services, Magna International, James Morning & Sons, The Milani Group, Tom Marchese, Motive Media, The Schomberg Pub, Red Bull Toronto, Molson Coors, PRM Construction, and John’s Firewood.
You can also follow the project on their Twitter feed @resto_classic, or forward any questions to restorationclassic@bell.net.