HBIC Summer Project Announcement

Every year on HBIC, I try to come up with a project that will incorporate summer into hockey a little more than usual. I've done a series on women who played both baseball and hockey, I cover a lot of hockey history throughout the summer, and I have covered field hockey at multiple Summer Olympiads, but this year's HBIC Summer Project will take me on the road. This project sadly won't involve The Tragically Hip, but it could be a lot of fun if I can make it work.

Throughout Manitoba, there are large statues in a number of communities. People often stop and take photos with these statues as they travel through Manitoba, but there are a vast number of them that should be documented and discussed. That's what I plan on doing this summer - hitting the road and exploring Manitoba on day trips to all these little towns and municipalities with iconic statues!

To make this a little more HBIC in its push, I'll also seek out the arena or local rink where players gather, and I'll document any significant hockey players who have come from those towns. I'm aware that not all of them will have well-known names, but I'll be looking for any and all hockey stories that involve the town and its citizens as well. I want to find these untold stories from places people should know!

Lastly, I'll be giving a local restaurant a bump as well as I will enjoy a meal in these eateries so you get an idea of where to stop if you want to retrace my steps. There are lots of mom-and-pop greasy spoons and hole-in-the-wall diners that deserve a little recognition for laying down roots in these communities, and I'll pay them my respects by dining at these establishments. Expect reviews of the meal and the food joint at the end of every one of these Summer Project articles!

Where did this idea come from, you ask?

Well, if you were around in the 1990s, "Another Roadside Attraction" was a concert series that toured across Canada that featured a ton of great artists and was headlined by The Tragically Hip. In 1997, it was just outside my backyard as the concert landed at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, and my backyard was just across the highway from the horse racing track. The Hip headlined as stated above, but they were joined by Sheryl Crow, Wilco, Los Lobos, Ron Sexsmith, Ashley MacIsaac, and Change of Heart. In short, it was an incredible concert.

If you're wondering, yes, all those linked songs were heard that day.

Back to the idea itself, I have been wanting to travel more in the summer. I love a good road trip, and this seemed like a great idea to get out and explore the province a little more. I may be limited by gas prices based on how things are going, but there's no time like the present to do a little exploring in my "backyard" here in Manitoba. By combining that with hockey and these iconic statues, I should have a lot "to write home about" when documenting my adventures!

I plan on starting this in May, so keep an eye on this blog for these updates. My hope is to have one town or municipality with a statue featured every week throughout the summer with weather and gas prices pending, but I'll do my best to get out to some of these amazing towns and talk about why you should be visiting them during your next Manitoba road trip. Buckle up because this will be fun!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!