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JUNIOR WAXERS PLAN TO
HONOUR FORMER PLAYERS The Waxers owner noted some 100 players who once donned the club's blue and white uniform went on to play in the National Hockey League or the now defunct World Hockey Association. Bremner said the Waxers have also sent more than 200 players to Canadian and U.S. universities, and close to 200 players to the Ontario major junior A league. As a way of recognizing those players, along with other members who toiled with the team since the 1963-64 season, Bremner intends to place their names on the Markham Waxers Hockey Wall of Fame within the confines of Centennial Arena. Seven-feet high and four-feet wide, and coverd with lexon, the eight-panelled wall would be located along the east wall of the arena, under the club's championship banners and retired numbers. Of the eight panels, approximately five would be used to list the names of former and current Waxers players, volunteers and executive. Another panel will be devoted to Markham minor hockey and list the Tony Roman Memorial Tournament executive and contacts plus the current executives of the Markham and Unionville minor hockey associations, recognizing their current and past executives, team contacts, coaches and managers. This panel, Bremner said, would be updated yearly. The final panel section will be a community board and would include letters of support and photographs of interest to the community. The proposed wall of honour has been in the planning stages for some two years, Bremner noted. "We've discussed the wall with the Department of Recreation and Culture and they think there shouldn't be a problem (in putting it up)," Bremner said. For the wall to become a reality, Bremner intends to send in his proposal to Markham Council for approval in the near future. Bremner is confident council will pass the motion when it is presented. "Town Council has been supportive of us over the years. And there's been a lot of people who have supported the Waxers over the years." Providing Council gives Bremner's plan the green light, the wall could be constructed immediately. "The wall is ready to go. We've got someone who will do the work. It could be done in four days," Bremner estimated. Recognizing everyone who was involved with the Waxers took almost a year of research, Bremner said. "We had people phone in who said they were with the club or knew of someone, and Lew Hollett (former Waxers owner) had a lot of the old game sheets," Bremner said. "We could also add names on an ongoing basis," in case some team member was accidentally omitted, he added. About the only regret Bremner had was that the names of the Markham Jets clubs of the 1930s were left out.
Bremner knows of no other hockey organization that has a wall such as the one he intends to construct. "I think the closest team that has had the success we've had is St. Mike's. Heritage, Community and Tradition, that's what the Waxers stand for," he said. Bremner hope the wall will provide some incentive for the minor players residing in Markham and Unionville to remain in local playing circles and someday play for the Junior A Waxers. "We want players from our minor system to play with us. We are commited today to having the majority of players in the future wall be Markham kids. Once the players see the wall they might want their names on it," Bremner said.
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