Reported by Dallas Chapple and Corey Burger; Photos by John Edgell.
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| New Rotary Club of Oak Bay Display at Recreation Centre |
We had no visiting Rotarians which was sad, but we did have two great guests. Lori McLeod, our New Generations Chair, brought Rotaracter Lance Shaver with her and the club hosted our speaker, Dave Dakers, of the Victoria Royals hockey club.
Mary had no health announcements save that Joan Peggs was feeling ok and had joined us again after her knee surgery.
Joan said that two other Rotary clubs have invited us to their events, the first of which will be held this weekend: Harbourside's Rotary Picnic in Beacon Hill Park. We are all invited to the event, which runs from 11 to 3 just south of the bandshell. We are also invited to Sidney-by-the-Sea's Monte Carlo Night which costs $75 and being held on September 28th. Look to your email for further details on both events.
Lori introduced a new program to sponsor Interact and Rotaract students in the hope we can be graced by at least one of the younger crowd each week (your bulletin scribe, now being 30, no longer counts). She asked each member to contribute $20 towards the $18 meal and $2 for the New Generations committee.
The fine fines' master, Joan Firkins, invited us all to finish the "Rawn" on the back of Neil Rawnsley's Royals jersey. Peter Suu paid $2 for Paul Harris Fellow he requested for new member John. Don O'Coffey was fined for not remembering his anniversary, which was today, along with Lesley. Congats on their 41st and 24th. We had no birthdays or club anniversaries to celebrate. Also, some of us got haircuts (your scribe included). We all paid for our shearing.
On the happy notes, Joan Firkins, thanked many people for helping her out with driving, given her recent knee surgery, and then the New Generations money flowed, as Lori donated for new committee members and Jim Force for the Rotaracters who worked in his garden in support of their projects. Brian said that he had visited Ted Harrison with Jack Petrie's DVD of our exploits set to music and found Ted to be in good spirits. Bill Burns is a grandfather again and we learned that Alexander apparently has figured out how to get his mother to take him to the French Open to see Rafael.
Our speaker for the day was Dave Daker, President of RG Sports and Entertainment, a relatively recent (6 years) resident of our fair city, joining us from RG's operations in Kelowna. Dave gave us a brief overview of RG Properties: 4000 employees in BC, six arenas, hotels, a ticketing company, the Royals, restaurants, and more. It was founded in 1987 by owner Graham Lee who wrote a thesis on outsourcing recreational facilities. Dave himself came from Ottawa where we worked with the Senator's and their AHL team in PEI. Kelowna's Propera Place was RG's first property and they have only grown since then.
Dave said their big acquisition was the Chilliwack Bruins in 2011, which allowed them to reintroduce WHL to Victoria, absent since the 1994 departure of the Cougars. Hockey has a long history in Victoria, Dave explained, starting with the Senators in 1911, who played in one of the first indoor arenas in Canada, and the first Cougars, started in 1922, winners of the Stanley Cup in '25, now known as the Detroit Red Wings. Dave hoped Vancouver might soon win a Stanley Cup. Back on topic, Dave said that the last Cougars, resident 1971-1994, didn't draw the crowds. (Your reporter is just barely old enough to remember this event. He even went to a Cougars' game). However, the new franchise couldn't use the Cougars' name, so dreamt up the Royals' name. (Joan Peggs asked a further question about this and Dave said that Graham Lee had been behind the specific name and that "it came to him[Dave] on the airplane that it was a good idea".
Now the Royals are about to start their second year and currently have 6 players in the NHL already with many prospects coming up. The team even made the playoffs last year in their last game against the heavily-favoured team from Portland. This was a great capper to a season with 7 sell out games, where the Salsa didn't have 7 sellouts in their entire 7 year run. Dave also said that the arena has been upgraded with new large screen televisions for your viewing pleasure. This includes a kiss cam which apparently caught VicPD Chief Jamie Graham so often that he actually emailed and said "no more". This season, which starts against Vancouver on September 23 and 24th, will feature a new GM and a new coach.
When asked by club members, Dave spoke extensively for the club's educational rewards for players, which gives them one year of education for each year played, or a full ride in the case of a career-ending injury such as happened recently. This can cover more than just traditional university, Dave explained - one of his Kelowna players studied to be a pilot.
On the issue of concussions, Dave said he recently changed his views as one of his son's had a concussion. Dave had a career in university and professional football and said that during those times they just weren't as common. Dave was proud of the work the WHL has done with concussions, testing all players as a baseline each season and being very proactive in testing and removing players during the season.
When asked about the Memorial Cup, Dave said that they had submitted a bid and hoped in the future to win, but that other provincial governments give monies to host the Cup, but BC doesn't. Beyond hockey, Dave spoke about the use of the Memorial Centre for lots of events and talked about how they are a mix of self-promoted events, and those that the management of the Centre seek out.
As we were out of mugs, many suggestions were made for gifts, but Dave had to accept our gratitude.
God Save the Queen was sung and thus the meeting ended.
From Dallas:
Joan was very effective in extracting money from many members, as the Celebrations Master. She got Neil Rawnsley (left with Jim Laing) for wearing a hockey shirt with just Rawn on the back; Batya was the secret handshaker (or hugger!); John E. and Peter L. got nabbed for sitting together again; Tom C., Ron B. and Corey got fined for their summer clips and myself and several others were nailed for being on Facebook but not mentioning that we are in Rotary! It was Don O’Coffey’s anniversary today and Leslie Roger-Warnock’s (and your scribe’s) very recently.
Lynne Murray introduced the guest speaker, Dave Dakers (right) from RJ Sports and Entertainment, who is also the President of the Victoria Royals. Graham Lee is the owner of this vast, multi-faceted company which owns 6 arenas, several teams, shopping malls and theatres as well as being in the facility management business. Dave worked for the Ottawa Senators and in Kelowna before Victoria. In 2011 the Chilliwack Bruins were purchased and brought here as the Victoria Royals. Victoria is no stranger to hockey. In 1911 the Victoria Senators started here in the first indoor rink in Canada. In 1922 the Cougars WHL team was here and they won the Stanley Cup in 1925. The Victoria Cougars eventually became the Detroit Redwings. In 1971 the Victoria Cougars WHL returned to Victoria and were here until 1994. In 1980 they won the Memorial Cup. Last spring RJ Sports purchased the Chilliwack Bruins and brought them here. They have put 6 players in the NHL. The Royals made the play-offs last year and had 7 sell-out games. The games average 5400 spectators per game. Dave was excited about the new G.M., Cam Hope, who was with the N.Y. Rangers, and Dave Lowry, the new Head Coach (who comes from the Calgary Flames.) Players range in age from 16 to 20 (the team is allowed three 20 year olds.) The team offers their players a year of free tuition for each year that they play. The first game this year will be Sept. 23/24 and Dave encouraged us all to buy tickets!
