Interview with Mary Howard

Partial Transcript: My name's Mary Howard. I'm 79. I was born and raised on the corner of Welland Avenue and Court Street…

Segment Synopsis: Mary introduces herself and shares her and her family’s connection to the Garden City Arena. She shares that her father help fund CYO, that her brothers played hockey, that her younger sister took figuring skating at the arena, and that her elder sister was president of CYO Hockey at one point.

Keywords: CYO; Family; Hockey -- Fan; Hockey -- Player; Jeff Alexander; Ozzie Darte; Sport -- Figure Skating; Sport -- Hockey; St. Catharines Falcons; St. Catharines TeePees; St. John's Ambulance

Subjects: CYO Hockey; Facilities; Junior B Hockey

Partial Transcript: I did, I did notice it changing over time. Okay. Like what, like, okay, when we first used to go up there and we'd go, like they had-- from school, you'd have a day that you could go and go skating after school at the arena…

Segment Synopsis: Mary talks about her childhood at the arena, how the Zamboni changed over time, and her dad and Ozzie’s connection to the arena. She then discusses some of the people she got to know through the arena, including Dave Gorman who played and coached hockey at the Garden City Arena.

Keywords: Dave Gorman; Disabilities; Friendship; Hockey -- fan; Hockey -- player; Junior B Hockey; Rink rats; Sport -- hockey; St. Catharines Falcons; St. Catharines Fincups; St. Catharines Saints; Technology

Subjects: Billeting; Facilities

Partial Transcript: At that time it certainly was different than it is now. Like it was working class back 'round there, most of the people were working class, St. Paul Street was pretty bustling at that time…

Segment Synopsis: Mary speaks about the neighbourhood around the arena, both in the past and today. She mentions the loss of Kristen French as being a turning point.

Keywords: Addiction; Class; Homelessness; Kristen French; Neighbourhood

Subjects: Community

Partial Transcript: My dad came over as the, at that time he came over after World War I as a Bernardo boy, like from England, they, a lot of the kids came over 12 and 13, 14…

Segment Synopsis: Mary speaks about how her father came to Canada and how his lack of childhood led him to become involved in creating CYO and helping at the arena for the kids. She then talks about how she became involved in the arena through her father, similar to the rest of her family.

Keywords: CYO; Childhood; Facilities; Family; Sport -- Hockey; St. Catharines TeePees; St. John's Ambulance

Subjects: Immigration

Partial Transcript: Yeah, I do. Yeah. Cuz I could remember like, oh, especially when I have more of when I was a teenager, you know, but we'd go up there and we'd watch Bobby Hull play and we'd watch...

Segment Synopsis: Mary talks about going to hockey games at the Garden City Arena and in Toronto with her father and mentions the CBC line, a defensive line often put out together. She then discusses the culture surrounding hockey games at the arena, how the arena changed over time, and tells a story of how her brother got hit in the mouth by a puck.

Keywords: Bobby Hull; CBC Line; CYO; Childhood; Community; Facilities; Hockey -- player; Hockey Heroes; Neighbourhood; Safety; St. Catharines TeePees; hockey -- fan

Subjects: Junior A Hockey

Partial Transcript: Okay. My dad actually was him and Jeff Alexander and Ozzie Darte started CYO hockey. They created it. Okay. I was secretary of CYO hockey probably for about 10 years under Joe Sheehan…

Segment Synopsis: Mary talks about her father being involved in the creation of CYO, her father supplying food, her sister being a president of CYO, being a secretary for CYO, and the communities connected to CYO. She also mentions a child with disability who died and now has a trophy in his name.

Keywords: CYO; Class; Disabilities; Family; Hockey -- Coach; Hockey -- Fan; Hockey -- Player; Jeff Alexander; Joe Sheehan; Military; Ozzie Darte; Paralympics; Sport -- Hockey

Subjects: CYO Hockey

Partial Transcript: Oh, that, like, I wasn't living at home at the time, but that was nice. I would see my parents all the time, but the one boy, what was his name? Barry Callahan?

Segment Synopsis: Mary speaks about her family billeting hockey players after she moved from home. Her parents also boarded Brock University international students from Mexico who came to learn English.

Keywords: Barry Callahan; Brock University; Community; Friendship; Hockey -- Player; Hockey -- coach; Sport -- Hockey; St. Catharines Saints; World War II

Subjects: Billeting; Immigration

Partial Transcript: Oh, I'm sad to see it go. I'm sad to see it go, but like, you know, like you hate to see, cuz it was downtown, it was affordable, but I guess it needed a lot of work and I think, you know, the Haig Street Bowl is closed up and it's the only thing because the kids couldn't afford to go and have ice time at the Meridian Centre…

Keywords: - Haig Bowl Arena; CYO; Childhood; Class; Friendship; Fundraising; Neighbourhood; Newman Construction

Subjects: Facilities