Stanley Cup visits birthplace of hockey

They came from far and wide and by 6 a.m. Sunday morning, Nov. 2, the line-up had already begun. Throngs of people eagerly swarmed the Windsor Mall waiting to get a glimpse of the Stanley Cup; the excitement was palatable.

The Stanley Cup, Canada’s oldest and most famous sports trophy, arrived in Windsor as part of Scotiabank’s “Celebration of Hockey Tour.” A history that started on Long Pond continues with the arrival of the Stanley Cup.

By the time doors opened to the public at 10 a.m., the mall corridor was standing room only and each and every person from the oldest to the youngest wore a smile. “Everyone here is smiling. And those smiles will just get bigger before by the end of the morning,” event staff member Michael Weisenhoff said. By his estimation there would be more than 1,500 visitors to the Scotiabank that morning, where the great cup was housed. “This is a fantastic. It really shows the spirit in the Town of Windsor.”

Scotiabank district vice president Paul DeWolfe said he was thrilled with the response. “Its wonderful to be able to bring this to the community, you can hear the excitement, you can feel it. “It's very fitting that Scotiabank has brought the Stanley Cup to the birthplace of Hockey. Mayor-elect Paul Beazley, a long-time hockey fan, said. “I’m thrilled they chose Windsor as one of only two locations in Nova Scotia. Windsor has such a strong history with the bank and with hockey.”

Beazley noted the bank’s first branch agency was built in Windsor back in 1837. “No only is it the Birthplace of Hockey, but also the birthplace of Scotia Bank branch system. Lord Stanley’s Cup is here!”

The West Hants Warriors Atom A team were pumped to stand as the Honour Guard during the cup’s visit said team manager Paul Phillips. They weren’t the only young hockey players to make a visit this morning.

MLA Chuck Porter said there were more than a dozen minor hockey teams in attendance. “This is a great event. What more appropriate place for the cup to come and spend some time. This is a great day for the Town of Windsor.”

Hockey Heritage president Paula Lunn said it was a wonderful opportunity to promote Windsor as the birthplace of hockey. “We are very excited to be invited to participate in this event. This is another acknowledgment that Windsor is the Birthplace of Hockey”