[News] St. Albert arena to be renamed after Jarome Iginla

[Reggie Dunlop]

I'm of the opinion that local arenas be named after the selfless volunteer organizers/boosters of youth hockey. The oft-unsung heroes. Henry Viney. Ed Whalen are probably the most famous locally.

What would renaming, let's say the Stu Peppard Arena the Mike Vernon Arena accomplish? Vernon played there as a kid, but it was only because Stu Peppard made it so.

I have no idea who in St. Albert was a minor hockey organizer legend, but to me that person deserves such an accolade over Jarome Iginla.

St. Albert is no good.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Anyways, that's my "hot take." FWIW.

[gt4flames]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

Only the arena? They should rename the city to St. Jarome.

I would imagine that changing the airport code from YYC to JALTJEI would be a major headache....hell of a smile to have printed on the runway for people to see out the window of their plane when they land though.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Anyways, that's my "hot take." FWIW.

Well, Jarome has donated some money to the local Minor Hockey Association in the past. I think your point is somewhat reasonable- however, there are currently 6 sheets of ice in St. Albert: 1 is sponsored by Go Auto, 1 is named for Mark Messier (also from St. A) and one is named for Troy Murray (also St. A). The arena that is getting Jarome's name just has a generic name of the community that it sits adjacent to, so it's not as if Jarome is taking the honor from a past hockey booster in the community.

On the larger, though it does seem appropriate to honor the many volunteers that make minor hockey possible, I think it comes down to the kids on the other side of the equation: if they can be inspired thinking that hockey legends like messier, murray, or iginla skated on the very same ice, changed in the very same dressing rooms as they do now, while making it all the way to the NHL- that is a powerful feeling. The same inspiration is much harder to draw from a volunteer's name. If I'm not mistaken, the dressing rooms at the bigger arena have been named for local hockey boosters from years past so there is that small honor.