The City of Brandon’s Parks & Recreation Department is pleased to inform the public that the Skating Oval, located immediately west of the City of Brandon’s Parks & Recreation Complex on McGregor Avenue will be open tomorrow at 12:00 noon. Around the skating oval is the Manitoba Hydro Power Smart Waterfall of Lights display, which is on from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. nightly through the winter season. No public vehicles are allowed in the direct area of the Waterfall of Lights display. The public is encouraged to park in designated areas on McGregor Avenue or Hilton Avenue and walk through the area to view the lights. The City of Brandon Parks & Recreation Department asks all members of the public to enjoy the lighting displays at a safe distance and not to walk in areas where power cords are present. Tomorrow also marks the official opening of the Hanbury Hill toboggan hill, located just off Braecrest Drive in Sir Winston Churchill Park. Hanbury Hill’s warm-up gazebo will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., while decorative lighting and flood lighting turned on each evening from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. for the duration of the season. Other toboggan hills available for public use include ones in Rideau Park and at the Wheat City Golf Course/Recreation Centre, and smaller sliding hills include the 34th Street & Cherry Crescent Sliding Hill and the Parkdale Park Sliding Hill. Families are encouraged to enjoy all the above-mentioned free winter recreation offerings; however, the City of Brandon would note that all are unsupervised areas. For more information on the many other public winter activities overseen by the City of Brandon’s Parks & Recreation Services, including its various sledding/toboggan hills and outdoor trails, please visit brandon.ca/winter-recreation/toboggan-hills or check out the Winter Recreation Guide. More information on recreation programming can be found at City of Brandon - Recreation Programs.

Glen Steele was recently recognized as the High School Rural referee of the year for 2022. A breakfast ceremony was recently held in Winnipeg for all the graduating all stars from A, AA, AAA and AAAA high school volleyball as well as the annual recognition for coaches and referees. Steele first became a volleyball ref four years ago after his boys were finishing their high school volleyball and he has always loved volleyball since high school. In addition to officiating high school games he also refs club games and does lines at both Brandon University and ACC game as well. This year Steele estimates he did over 90 games which is more than he has done in other years. It was the first time he has been recognized from our region.

– For the second consecutive year, PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Canada’s elite Cup Series, presented by Wrangler, will buck into Brandon, Manitoba, holding the PBR Mazergroup Chute Out at Westoba Place at the Keystone Centre on May 27, 2023. PBR Canada’s Cup Series regularly features Canada’s best riders alongside some of the league’s top international athletes, squaring off against the rankest bucking bulls from across the nation. For one night only, fans will witness exhilarating 8-second rides and wrecks throughout the action-packed event as the PBR’s courageous bull-riding athletes face off against their 2,000-pound opponents bred to buck. The Brandon event will mark the third event of the nine-event 2023 season for the PBR Canada Cup Series, presented by Wrangler. Prior to travelling to the Manitoba town, the Cup Series will hold tour stops in both Red Deer and Lethbridge, Alberta. When the elite Canadian Cup Series debuted in Brandon in June 2022, young gun Blake Smith (Abbey, Saskatchewan) delivered a flawless 2-for-2 performance to win the event. In Round 1, Smith was in perfect time with Confused Mind (X6 Ranch Bucking Cattle/Legend Rodeo Stock), reaching the requisite 8 for 83.5 points, tying for the round win. Smith then used his early pick in the Round 2 bull draft to select Crossfire’s Black Jack (Lazy S Bucking Bulls), a decision which proved dividends. Smith matched the powerful animal athlete jump-for-jump, and the electric crowd erupted in cheer as he reached the whistle for an event-best 87 points. Edging past the runner-up contender by a mere 2 points in the aggregate, Smith’s score clinched the victory. The event was part of the most intense national title race in PBR Canada history. As the season continued to unfurl, nine riders traveled to the PBR Canada National Finals in contention to win the honor and accompanying $50,000 bonus. Mounting a come-from-behind surge, Nick Tetz (Calgary, Alberta) emerged the 2022 PBR Canada Champion, surpassing regular-season No. 1 Dakota Buttar (Eatonia, Saskatchewan) and holding off a hard-charging Brock Radford (De Winton, Alberta) in the final outs of the season. When the dust settled, Tetz finished 26.5 points ahead of runner-up Radford. The bull riding action for PBR Canada Cup Series’ Mazergroup Chute Out, begins at 7:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 27, 2023. Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, December 16 at 10:00 a.m. CST, and start at $30, taxes and fees not included, and can be purchased at the Westoba Place at the Keystone Centre Box Office and online at Ticketmaster.ca.  

Local goaltender Drew Blight saw an opportunity to provide a new service and create a unique business. The Rent A Goalie idea operates in most major cities and Blight will be a hired gun for hockey teams needing a goalie. Thanks Scramble Studio for the Wendy's Winter Hockey League photo Teams last minute need a goalie for a league or exhibition game and without having a goalie the game is basically useless. Blight has been a goalie for over 20 years and loves the game and for $30.00 he will help a team in distress. Of course, Drew does not promise a level of professional goaltending but rather a body that will show up and enable the game to happen. Contact Drew Blight at 204 720 8996 WWHL Goalie Profile https://www.aaahockey.com/roster_players/60107856?subseason=856507

The Westman Volleyball Club will be entering its 12th year of offering teams.  For the first time this year Westman will be offering a 14U Boys team run out of the Glenboro/Baldur area.  The Club will also be running 14U, 15U, 16U and 17U girls' teams. The following are tryout times for each age level: 14U Girls Saturday Dec 10/Sunday Dec 11 10:00 am to 11:30 am Shilo Strange Hall Coaches:  Jamie Lajeunesse/Emily Waddell 14U Boys Wednesday December 14th 6:30pm to 8:30pm Glenboro High School Coaches:  Devin McLean email kelly_j_hill@hotmail.com to register 15U Girls Saturday Dec 10/Sunday Dec 11 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm Shilo Strange Hall Coaches:  Sierra Eastcott/Hayley Eastcott 16U Girls (2 teams) Saturday Dec 10/Sunday Dec 11 2:00pm to 3:30pm Coaches Wave: Dean Oakden/Allison Jones Coaches Wild: Zach Price 17U Girls Contact Jeff Werbowski jwerbo1937@gmail.com To signup for tryouts:  Use pay online option:  www.wvolleyballcub.com or e-transfer dean@gcflwestman.com $35.00