The Brooklin Town Crier 9Brooklin's Community Newspaper From the Archives... Two Agents at Brooklin Station, 1929 A black and white photograph of two station agents, Cecil Joynt and Dick Ray, at Brooklin Station in 1929. Brooklin Station, located at 93 Winchester Road East, was built around 1895 and burned to the ground on the night of April 19, 1937. Whitby Archives Photograph 25-000-064 The Man Cave: UBER Rickshaw First of all, to the few who read this column, I have returned. There is no column in life for excuses, so I won't give you one. Just being lazy and needed to get some creative ideas flowing again maybe. Then it hit me, not as hard a Matt Slessor slap shot, but in a figurative way, I had this idea. No surprise it spawned during a conversation after a few beers sitting around a (legal) fire pit in a backyard. This town needs to get rickshaws! We have a generation that is growing up with a lack of opportunities for employment. This will be a great way for them to earn some cash and, as Brian Wambolt added, "They can build bigger legs like I have so they will be better hockey players like me." When you hear that type of logic from an obviously well-informed professional beer league player, it makes it so logical. There are some parents, I am sure, reading this right now and wondering if they put their kid to work pulling a rickshaw, might they actually have that edge over their friend's child and maybe finally make that nextjump to Whitby Wildcat stardom? So, with the rickshaw business about to explode in the GBA (Greater Brooklin Area), someone has to link this to Uber. Imagine you are about to leave 1847 or Corrados, and you see a rickshaw waiting for you outside?. What a great way to get home, and, in the process, you have helped a kid earn a few bucks. Not to mention assist in their ability to become a stronger skating hockey player. Some issues to impede this great idea though might be the fact it is 3.6 km (I looked it up) from Grass Park to the northeast corner of town. So with a 40 minute run ahead of you and then a return trip to get your next fare, that might limit the rides to maybe two a night. Then again, they do not have to worry because they are doing it for the chance to get on a better hockey team, and money is not the motivator in all of this. There will be some thoughtful parent who will follow the rickshaw and drive the weary runner back to Grass Park for the next fare (as it would be shameful to learn that a team mate beat them in total fares that night). The only thing more shameful might be that the rickshaw runner also had entered into a secret power skating class at the Elite Training Centre - The Barn! This would send all of the parents into a frenzy for sure. Think about the Brooklin Spring Fair and other community events that would be perfect for rickshaw travel. We can also think of how rickshaws would be a welcome addition to our eco-friendly community. The next inspiration will be a rickshaw demolition derby exhibition to showcase the durability of the rickshaw construction and driver. Not to mention that rickshaws could share the road with the golf carts if they were permitted to travel on streets during summer months in the GBA. Cheers! Editor's Note: In "The Man Cave" column, Tim Grose provides a man's perspective on life in Brooklin with articles he hopes will capture the interest of both men and women. He'd love to hear what you think about the column. Please send some feedback to editorBTC@gmail.com. TSN Film Crew Makes a 'Touch Down' in Ashburn The love of football, especially the Toronto Argonauts, has been part of Howe Family tradition for almost a century. Brian Williams, the veteran TSN sports journalist, recently visited the family home in Ashburn to talk to father and son, Bill and Liam Howe, about their beloved team and its move to BMO field. The television company's decision to make the film was three-fold. First, the Argonauts have new owners with Bell Media and Larry Tanenbaum. Second, they have a new location at BMO Field, which is close to the bars and restaurants of Liberty Village with easy access from the GO Train. Finally, there is the story of the team's loyal fans. In spite of last season's trials when their team played all their 'home' games away, these two Ashburn boys travelled to every one, including the 'home-opener,' in Fort McMurray, Alberta. It did not take long for the four-man film crew to transform the Howe's family room into a film studio. They set up cameras, lights and sound equipment around the dining table and sofa. Metres of cable snaked around the kitchen cabinets. Bill's love for the Argos goes back to the 1960s. He remembered the excitement building as he drove down Lakeshore Boulevard with his father in springtime past Exhibition Stadium. "Football's coming Billy, in two-weeks, we'll be there," he told him. Previously, the connection between the Argos and the Howe family goes back even further. Howe's grandfather watched the team in the 1920s, and started taking his son in the 1940s. Howe said his parents even dated watching the team at Exhibition Stadium in the 1950s. Howe remembered the first game he bought the tickets for his father. "The first game I ever took my dad to was the 1982 Grey Cup in Toronto against the Edmonton Eskimos," he said. "It was a day I will never forget." After his father's death in 1983, Howe thought his memories of those special days shared with his dad were just that, memories. However, his son was born in 2001 and soon proved a worthy successor to accompany him to follow the Double Blues. "I thought the treasure had been lost forever…I never imagined I would be doing this again," said Howe. The Argos new home, BMO stadium, has been upgraded in the closed season and now has a partial roof to cover the fans. "It's going to be intimate. Everyone is going to have terrific sightlines," said Howe. "It's going to be very noisy, Argo fans can get very noisy. I am looking forward to that in Toronto." The younger of the two Howes, 15-year- old Liam, has been watching the Argos since he was six. He has travelled across the country from Vancouver, BC, to Moncton, NB supporting the team with his dad. He has even carried the Grey Cup on the fan march before the championship game four times. "It's been nice to go around the country and see full stadiums," said the younger Howe, "It's an amazing feeling going into a full stadium cheering for your team.Now Toronto can experience it." The Howes are also eager to experience a whole different pre-game atmosphere at Liberty Village. The area is a short walk from BMO Field and is packed with bars and restaurants for pre-game and post-game entertainment. "It's going to be a full day," said the teenager, dressed in a blue and white #39 Argo jersey. "The younger generation wants pre-game activities." The interview will be aired on TSN on June 23 as part of the pre-game show before the Argonauts' home opener against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. June is here, let the football begin. Veteran TSN sports broadcaster, Brian Williams, helps Liam Howe relax before interviewing him about his passion for the CFL and the Toronto Argonauts. Liam Howe helps TSN film crew with lighting for Brian Williams at BMO field before the Argos pre-season game against the Ti-Cats. photo by Bill Howe