On Friday, October 18, Ilderton Minor Hockey lost a giant from their past. Bob Harvey, one of the founders of minor hockey in Ilderton, passed away at LHSC, quietly with his family by his side. He lived to be 86.
Why was Bob a giant in minor hockey? During the early 1960’s, when many of the grandpas in our community were young and active, Bob and his friends at the Ilderton and District Lions Club decided that the youth of our community should be able to play hockey in an organized league, with young men from other communities like Lucan, Exeter, Lambeth, Dorchester and other similar places. Up to that point, hockey took place at the Old Arena, the large silver building by the Legion Hall. The Ilderton Lions hockey teams played initially at the Lucan Arena each week, as Ilderton did not have its own arena.
Bob and his fellow Lions organized an effort to build an artificial ice arena, that resulted in the arena we use now. It opened in the early 1970’s. The Lions held a fund raising “Walkathon”, among other things, to raise over $200,000.00 towards the cost. Bob spent many hours in that arena with his friends and players, coaching and organizing games, tournaments and leagues.
After his role coaching and organizing in minor hockey was ended, Bob continued his work with other hockey organizations. He travelled the province holding workshops with OMHA and OHA hockey teams, teaching about issues that were present at the time in minor hockey. He moved then to help run the Western Junior B Hockey League, the original league for teams like the London Nationals, Chatham Maroons, and St. Mary’s Lincolns. Bob’s friend Bill Weir took over as president and Bob was the Secretary Treasurer of the league; they kept the teams organized, safe and competitive in their league. The winner’s trophy for that league is the Bill Weir Trophy and the trophy for the league’s second place team is the Bob Harvey Trophy.
Bob did many other things to make our community a better place for us all, but one thing is for sure. He did it because he wanted to improve our world. The jobs that he did in hockey were all volunteer jobs. He, and his friends, worked for the community in the community.
Bob was a Lion in Ilderton for most of his life, doing things with his friends because he wanted to contribute, just like many groups today; the Ilderton Lions Club and the Ilderton Optimist Club among others do that now in our community. Bob hoped that his example would convince others to give to their community as well. He, no doubt, is looking down and smiling, seeing the results of his and his friends’ service over the years and knowing that the work they did is paying off each day.
Thank you Bob, on behalf of the entire Ilderton Jets community. 💙💛