By Charlene Tebbutt

Waskesiu plans celebrations to honour hockey great Gordie Howe

Aug 2, 2018 | 8:00 AM

It may be hard to imagine now, but there used to be a time when many NHL hockey players didn’t make a lot of money and worked summer jobs to make ends meet.

In the early days of his NHL career, Gordie Howe, the man known as ‘Mr. Hockey,’ spent several summers working with the maintenance crew at the Waskesiu Golf Course. Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Howe treasured his time at Waskesiu and returned many times throughout his life. This weekend, the Waskesiu community is hosting a number of events to celebrate the hockey legend. Some of Howe’s family members will on hand for the events Saturday and Sunday, including Howe’s youngest son Murray, who will talk about his new book, Nine Lessons I learned from My Father.

August 5 has been declared Gordie Howe Day in Waskesiu, and events are planned for both Saturday and Sunday. Jim Kerby, director and past chair of the Waskesiu Foundation, said the weekend celebrations will honour Howe and his passion for the area. Howe marked his last visit to Waskesiu in 2012 at the age of 84.

“Waskesiu was a place he absolutely loved to visit in the summer,” Kerby told paNOW. “He never lost his affection for Canada or for Saskatchewan, but Waskesiu, I think, always held a pretty special place in his heart.”

While Howe wowed fans on the ice during his hockey career, Kerby said Howe was also an accomplished golfer, winning numerous awards and the Lobstick in 1954. Kerby said Howe also enjoyed fishing at Waskesiu, often with his good friend Johnny Bower, another local hockey icon.

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“For people from Saskatchewan, it’s really nice to know that even with all that fame, he still remembered his roots and he still really loved to be in northern Saskatchewan,” Kerby added.

The events will kick off this Saturday with a speech by Murray Howe, followed on Sunday by a dedication of a memorial at the fitness park and the unveiling of a heritage sign. Tickets for the event Saturday are $30 and available through the Waskesiu Foundation. All events on Sunday are free of charge.

Charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt