Exercising and Having Fun
Sports
The residents of Grand Falls-Windsor have been involved in numerous varieties of sports and activities during the past 100 years. Sports including archery, boxing, cricket, curling football, golf, hockey, long distance running, skating, soccer, volleyball where all played at a competitive level. Every year, the mill would be closed for a Sports Day on the first Saturday in September which was held at the athletics field. Events included field sports, swimming in the river; log rolling and tug of war contest (The Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society Inc 194).
Hockey
The first official hockey game was played in 1912 in an old wodden rink. This game consisted of two teams made from the British men who worked at the mill. In February of 1948 the A.N.D Company and the Grand Falls Athletic Association opened a new stadium which was used for skating and hockey. This Grand Falls-Windsor stadium was soon renamed the Joe Byrne Memorial Stadium, after a sports store owner who has been honored many times for his contributions to hockey (The Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society Inc 195). Today, during the winter season, individuals can go and watch Senior Hockey and support the local Cataracts hockey team. These games usually take place Friday, Saturday evenings or Sunday afternoons and can be watched at the Joe Byrne Memorial Stadium with the purchase of a ticket. Visit http://www.gfwcataracts.com/ for further information.
Minor Hockey in Grand Falls-Windsor began in the 1950s along with the opening of the new stadium and a Windsor Minor Hockey Association was formed. This Association consisted of Jim Sooley, Roy Martin, Pat Corbin, Wayne Hollett, Wilfred Watton and Ray Andrews, all responsible for 400 players who had joined. Today, many children are involved with the Exploits Valley Minor Hockey Association and register every winter to participate. For further information, visit http://www.dsi.nf.net/
Summer Minor Ball Hockey offers an opportunity for children to stay fit and active during the summer while improving their hockey skills. This program is available to those children between the ages of 7-11 and will play during the week. Visit website: www.grandfallswindsor.com for further information under the Recreation Section.
Baseball
Baseball was first introduced to Grand Falls in 1908 and was held on the town’s athletic grounds near Lincoln Road and Carmelite Road. Both soccer and baseball where played on this field until a new one was constructed in 1910. Baseball became popular in the 1920s and 30s when regular teams where set up. The sport has been played for 96 years in the community of Grand Falls-Windsor and has become a popular summer activity (The Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society Inc 205-211). Today, baseball continues to be played in the summer by residents of all ages while softball has become equally popular.
Grand Falls-Windsor Minor Baseball is lead by the Grand Falls-Windsor Minor Baseball Association with the program usually starting at the end of June and continuing until August. The program consists of six divisions and is open to males/females from ages 5-18.
Contact: Grand Falls-Windsor Minor Baseball Association
Phone: (709) 489-2665
T-Ball is an introductory sport for children between the ages of 4-7. This program focuses on the skill development and learning of basic rules of softball. Visit website: www.grandfallswindsor.com for additional information under the Recreation Section.
Grand Falls-Windsor Minor Baseball Association
Goodyear Avenue/Centennial Field
Mailing Address: 18 Crawley
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 2S7
Contact: Rod French
Phone: (70) 489-1140
Email: rfrench@exploitsvalley.nf.ca
Mixed Slo-Pitch Softball League has become a great summer sport for the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor. This program involves teams consisting of both men and women and is played during the summer evenings.
Bowling
The first bowling lane in Grand Falls-Windsor was a two-lane house located on Bon Street prior to 1940. The A.N.D Company built an extension on the Town Club on High Street in 1940, which included a four-lane facility. The lanes where eventually removed in 1957 from the building with the building becoming dismantled to create a new department store with the lanes being put in storage. Then in 1959, the lanes where purchased by Edgar “Mac” Dalley from Botwood and placed in a new bowling center on Lincoln Road. The Lincoln Lanes Ltd. then opened a new 12-lane house in January of 1963 on Lincoln Road which Mr. Dalley took over management. Then from 1967-1977, Angus Carey opened a 12-lane facility in the same building as Lincoln Lanes Ltd. has used (The Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society Inc 211-212). Today, the lanes are still open and offer opportunities for individuals to bowl for leisure or in a league competitively.
Contact Information: Holiday Lanes Central Bowling
20A Lincoln Road
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 1M8
Contact: Jody Gillard
Phone: (709) 489-2717
Volleyball
A teacher from England, Pat Brant, was the first individual to introduce the game of volleyball to Grand Falls-Windsor in 1959 and a first high school at GFA was organized in 1966. The GFA team traveled provincially to a number of tournaments and was successful. By the 1970s, the boys’ and girl’s teams won the championship for Grand Falls-Windsor and the Gymkos Volleyball Club was started in 1974 (The Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society Inc 223). Today, volleyball is played by residents of all ages and has become both a leisure and competitive sport for the town.
Minor Volleyball has become a favorite sport among the children of Grand Falls-Windsor. Volleyball in the summer is played on two san courts located next to the former helicopter pad on Cromer Avenue. This program is available for children between the ages of 7-11 and 12-16. The program offers children with skills and understanding necessary to enjoy the sport of volleyball. Visit website: www.grandfallswindsor.com for further information.
Men’s & Women’s Volleyball- Check the local newspaper The Advertiser for details
The results from a 2008 Residential Survey, completed by 10 individuals, indicated that the average rating for “Access to Recreational and Leisure Activities” was a 3.6 out of a possible 5 with 1 being Poor and 5 being excellent.
Most individuals living in Grand Falls-Windsor have ways of enjoying their leisure time. Some prefer to participate in exercising activities in the various facilities available in this community.
Exploits Regional Curling Club
49 Lincoln Road
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 2J7
Contact: Joe Tremblett
Phone: (709) 489-2234
Grand Falls Golf Club
Trans Canada Highway
P.O. Box 53
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 2J3
Contact: Mike Browne
Phone: (709) 489-7631
Website: www.grandfallsgolf.com
Grand Falls-Windsor Tennis Club
Centennial Complex (Off Squires Lane)
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL
Contact: Dave Nichols
Position: Recreation Director
Phone: (709) 489-0450
Sparkling Blades Figure Skating Club
P.O. Box 403
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL
Contact: John Snow
Phone: (709) 489-3027
Email: johnsnow@nf.sympatico.ca
Website: www.sparklingbladesfigureskatingclub.50megs.com
Windsor Stadium
Prices Lane
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL
Phone: (709) 489-0449
Entertainment
A.N.D Company Players
5 High Street
Grand Falls-Windor, NL A2A 2J8
Contact: John Thompson
Phone: (709) 489-0435
Reservations: (709) 489-6560
Email: andcoplayers@hotmail.com
Website: www.andco.nf.ca
Salmonid Interpretation Centre/Grand Falls Fishway
P.O. Box 857
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 2P7
Contact: Fred Parsons
Phone: (709) 489-7350
Email: fred.parsons@nf.sympatico.ca
Thunderland Amusement Park
TCH
P.O. Box 159
Badger, NL A0H 1C0
Contact: Frank Saunders
Phone: (709) 489-7997
Lounges/Licensed
Dooly’s
Exploits Valley Mall
19 Cromer Avenue
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 2K5
Phone: (709) 292-8885
Website: www.doolys.com
Double-S Lounge
6 Lincoln Road
P.O. Box 823
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 2P7
Contact: Sidney Lane
Phone: (709) 489-8996
Golden Phoenix Lounge/Cathay Empress
108 Lincoln Road
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 1P6
Contact: Lei Heung Au
Phone: (709) 489-2390
Jimi-Jaks T & C Inn & Pub
6 Church Road
P.O. Box 477
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 2J9
Contact: Gary Davis, Owner
Phone: (709) 489-9602
Movie Rental
Allan’s Video
12 High Street
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 1C4
Contact Person: Lisa Dormody
Phone: (709) 489-5503
Email: jwagsw@nf.sympatico.ca
Jumbo Video
8 Hardy Avenue
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 2P9