TRENTON, N.S. — Spurgeon MacDonald, (Spurge) has been a main-stay at the Trenton Rink before there was even a rink in Trenton.
“He’s been down at the rink ever since we were kids,” said Peter Boyles, councilor with the municipality of Pictou. “I remember when I was a kid he’d be out there doing the flooding.”
That’s at the old rink. The outdoor rink, and Spurgeon MacDoanald could be seen there keeping the surface smooth and clear from snow, or making sure that the fire in the change room was burning.
“He’d even turn around and a tie the kids’ skates,” said Boyles. “You could go on all night about Spurg and the things he did.”
That’s why, after more than forty years, Spurgeon MacDonald has received honorary recognition from the municipality of Pictou county for his dedication to sport.
A ceremony was held Friday, February 22at the Trenton Rink Annex where MacDonald was handed is certificate of recognition and a plaque followed by sandwiches and cake.
But it wasn’t just on the ice where MacDonald spent his time.
“I’ve known him since I was little,” said Gene Martell. “He was our coach.”
Martell, along with a handful of other players had come to the rink annex to celebrate their coach.
“What we remember best about him is he had an old garbage truck and he’d clean it all out and we’d get in the back to go play at West Side or against Thorburn,” said Martell. “He’d alwys buy ice cream for us at the Dairy Queen when we were out of town. Win or lose.”
As for Spurge, he kept his words short.
“If I didn’t like it, then I wouldn’t have stayed.”
