Farewell, Titan: Fans crowd Bathurst arena for final regular-season home game

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With 45 minutes to game time Saturday, three teenage girls stood outside the K.C. Irving Regional Centre, hoping to get their hands on tickets for the final regular-season home game for the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.
Exchange students from Hungary, Turkey and Spain, the Titan were the first experience of Canadian hockey for Zsanett Szecsod, Hanzade Yakit and Nadia Bernabé.
"We just loved it, and [today is] the last chance we get," Yakit said.
Saturday night's game was the last chance for the three students to see the Titan play before heading back to their home countries, but it was also the last chance for many New Brunswick fans, the ones who grew up with the team, the ones whose children, grown now, still catch a game when they come back home.
The team is relocating to St. John's this fall and will be replaced in Bathurst by the Chaleur Lightning of the Maritime Junior Hockey League.
While a longtime struggle with attendance is one reason the team is leaving, it was not a problem Saturday. For the first time in a long time, the game sold out, evidence in itself of the impact the Titan have had on the community.
The Moncton Wildcats won 6-5 in overtime. But the Titan gave a strong effort against one of the top teams in the country.
"It's an opportunity for us to finish things off strong," said head coach Gordie Dwyer before the game.
The Titan have had some shining moments during their 30-year run in Bathurst, including a Memorial Cup in 2018.
Dwyer said Saturday night's game, though an emotional one, was important for the community — as much a part of the Titan as the players themselves.
"For a small town in northern New Brunswick, to have that and be able to build that history as an organization and be able to share that with the people here in this region, I believe that that's really been the lasting legacy."
It's that legacy that brought Danica Pitre back to Bathurst from Nova Scotia, where she's been living for the past two years after growing up in Beresford.
She said it was worth the drive.
"Outside the ice, [the players have] been in schools, they've been role models for us," she said. "I'm happy to be here today, but I'm going to be really sad to say bye because I know it's the last game for me."
Longtime fans Suzanne and Lloyd Hussey plan to buy season tickets for the Lightning when they arrive in the fall.
But they won't forget the Titan. They had season tickets for the past 15 years.
"It's going to be well-missed," Suzanne said.
The Titan will play Chicoutimi in the first round of the QMJHL playoffs. Games 3, 4 and 5, if necessary, are home games for the Titan.

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• Toronto Sun

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Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account or Sign in without password View more offers Article content Hamilton's finest lifted both the Larry O'Brien and Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player trophies late Sunday night after Oklahoma City's Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Article content tap here to see other videos from our team. 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Vancouver Sun

4 hours ago

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Winnipeg Free Press

6 hours ago

• Winnipeg Free Press

Fundraising tour de force

A Brandon cyclist is gearing up for the ride of a lifetime in support of cancer research. Grant Hamilton is heading to Europe this week to join Tour 21, an annual event that sees a team of amateur cyclists ride the full Tour de France route, one week ahead of the professionals. The team will pedal more than 3,500 km in 21 days, including climbs and summits in the Pyrenees mountains and the French Alps. It's part of an effort to raise nearly $2 million for Cure Leukaemia, the official charity partner of the Tour de France. Grant Hamilton is heading to Europe this week to join Tour 21, an annual event that sees a team of amateur cyclists ride the full Tour de France route, one week ahead of the professionals. (Matt Packwood / The Brandon Sun) Cure Leukaemia funds clinical trials, driving global advancements in blood cancer treatment and impacting those affected by the disease. Hamilton is the only Canadian on the team. 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For more information about these listings, contact the organization directly. Volunteer Manitoba does not place volunteers with organizations but can help people find opportunities. To learn more about its programs and services, go to or call 204-477-5180. Manitoba Underdogs Rescue needs a newsletter co-ordinator for its social-media team. The role involves writing emails to keep supporters in the loop about new dogs, upcoming events and urgent needs. The co-ordinator will work with a graphic designer to enhance messages visually and analyze email performance to boost engagement. Essential skills include a friendly writing style, experience with platforms such as Mailchimp and a passion for storytelling. This remote position requires two to four flexible hours per week. Apply at by Aug. 1. The Henteleff Park Foundation needs volunteers. After a 90-minute orientation on park history and weed management, volunteers can work independently, choosing a spot to nurture. Volunteers can work at their own pace for an hour or two per week and at a time convenient to are welcome to apply individually or as families, only requiring the ability to lift 10 pounds and follow directions. No prior gardening knowledge is needed. Email by Aug. 15. Misericordia Health Centre needs an ophthalmology ambassador to escort patients to treatment rooms. Volunteers act as liaisons between staff members and patients (delivering messages for unit staff, making inquiries on behalf of patients, providing friendly services to patients and helping staff with patient flow). Ambassadors must have a positive and empathetic manner and the ability to stand and walk for long periods of time. Apply online at by Aug. 30. The Manitoba Mountain Bike Association needs board members. The board has eight members, with subcommittees for infrastructure and community outreach. A treasurer, fundraising co-ordinator and director at large are needed to help with bike park proposals, fundraising and administrative tasks. Applicants should have a strong interest in mountain biking or trail stewardship, while skills in grant writing, management, fundraising or trail development are beneficial. It's a flexible time commitment of up to eight hours weekly, plus monthly board meetings. Apply at by Oct. 4. Mennonite Central Committee's Kildonan Thrift Shop needs people with a skill set in assessing and repairing electronic devices. Volunteers are needed to sort, test, clean and price electronic items such as record players, amplifiers, radios and DVD players that have been donated for resale. The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with shifts from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Apply at or 204-668-0967, ext. 5, by June 30. The St. Vital Agricultural Fair is seeking volunteers for its 114th annual Fair and Display Aug. 8-9. Opportunities include serving as greeters, setting up and taking down tables and chairs, and serving meals in a cafeteria style. Volunteers are also needed at the children's craft table and in helping exhibitors place their entries, and to help with cleaning duties such as garbage removal. More information about the event is available at Apply at PjMcFarlane@ or to 204-487-4597, ext. 1, by July 29. The Leftovers Foundation, a food-rescue charity with a mission of reducing food waste and increasing access to food for people facing barriers, is gearing up for Home Harvest. The program facilitates the rescue of homegrown food. Community members can participate by signing up through the website or mobile app to become a donor (grower) or volunteer to complete routes. Growers with excess produce can submit a request any time, and volunteers can harvest and deliver the produce to local service agencies and keep a portion for themselves. Volunteers can sign up in groups or individually. Email alyssa@ or go to for more information. Apply by Aug. 2. The Manitoba Indigenous Summer Games will host more than 2,000 athletes at Sagkeeng Anicinabe Nation. Volunteers are needed for roles such as registration, food services and cultural services. They will also help with security, medical aid and special events. Skills such as organization, communication and attention to detail are essential. Volunteers must be 13 or older. Flexible shifts are available from Aug. 17 to Aug. 23 at Brokenhead Ojibway Nation. Apply online at by Aug. 10. The Canadian Red Cross needs volunteers. The Red Cross can show you how to help when disaster strikes. Go to email volunteer@ or call 1-844-818-2155. That belief was underscored three years ago when he was hit by a car one evening while cycling home with his wife. He was badly hurt — including losing his left pinky finger — but he says it changed his life for the better. It made him get serious about cycling activism and he's already seen the City of Brandon make improvements to its infrastructure — including lowering the speed limit on the stretch of road where he was hit. Hamilton is the founder of Bike Brandon, an organization that exists to support the convenient use and safe enjoyment of all kinds of bikes. Additionally, he volunteers as a board member with Brandon First, a not-for-profit destination marketing organization, and Brandon Riverbank, a 30-year-old charity dedicated to developing the Assiniboine River Corridor. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Hamilton also co-founded the Salamander Summer Music Festival, which returns for its third year next month. 'It's maybe incumbent on all of us to try to make our communities a little bit better,' says the lifelong Brandon resident. 'It doesn't take much. I didn't do it until I got hit by a car.' Hamilton leaves for Europe on Tuesday; Tour 21 starts Saturday in Lille. For details about how to make a donation, find Hamilton on Facebook, Bluesky or LinkedIn and read the pinned posts, or send an email too If you know a special volunteer, email Aaron EppReporter Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.