Mississauga Celebrates Memorial Cup Arrival
Mississauga, ON – One day before the puck drops at the 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup, one of hockey’s most prestigious trophies made its official arrival to the heart of the Greater Toronto Area.
On Thursday morning the Memorial Cup arrived on the shores of Port Credit aboard the Peel Regional Police Marine Unit with Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion and CHL President David Branch.
From there, dignitaries accompanied the Memorial Cup via motorcade procession featuring Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services vehicles, a Peel Regional Police vintage cruiser, Peel Regional Police Motorcycle Units and Canadian Armed Forces vehicles to Mississauga Celebration Square for an official re-dedication of the City’s Veterans’ Memorial.
“We are making the arrival of the Memorial Cup part of Mississauga’s history by welcoming it with our re-dedication of our Veterans’ Memorial,” said Mayor Hazel McCallion. “This is an historic moment for Mississauga; as we are unveiling our special monument honouring the sacrifices made by our veterans. Mississauga is the first City in the GTA to host the MasterCard Memorial Cup at our very own Hershey Centre.”
The Memorial Cup has been awarded to the top junior hockey team in Canada since 1919. The trophy was originally known as the Ontario Hockey Association Memorial Cup and was donated by the association in March 1919, in remembrance of the many soldiers who paid the supreme sacrifice for Canada in the First World War. During the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup in Brandon, Manitoba, the Memorial Cup was rededicated to honour all soldiers who died fighting for Canada in any conflict.
As Canada’s sixth largest city, Mississauga is home to 734,000 residents and 55,000 businesses, including 63 Fortune 500 companies with Canadian head offices or major divisional head offices. A diverse, progressive and award-winning municipality located on the shores of Lake Ontario in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area, Mississauga is “Leading Today for Tomorrow” by focussing on delivering services, implementing its Strategic Plan, delivering value for money, maintaining infrastructure and continuing to be an employer of choice.
The on-ice action begins Friday night at Hershey Centre when the host Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors face the QMJHL Champion Saint John Sea Dogs at 7:00 pm. On Saturday night the OHL Champion Owen Sound Attack take on the WHL Champion Kootenay Ice. All games of the 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup can be seen live on Rogers Sportsnet and RDS.
For more information please visit www.mastercardmemorialcup.com.