Over the weekend, I received an email from Dave Baker- a digital producer from Ottawa with an interest in telling this city’s history in the form of a documentary film. As someone who has always had an interest in the history of the game of hockey, his email and this project immediately caught my eye. Dave Baker has produced and assisted in the production of videos for some of Ottawa’s most recognizable brands including Corel, Gary’s Automotive and the Royal Ottawa Golf Club. Inspired by his love for all things hockey and his Ottawa upbringing, he has set his sights on developing a documentary to revive the history of Hockey in Ottawa. His guest post today is an invitation for fans to join the project in the early stages of development by showing their support and following along as he works to preserve the past. In these early stages, I wanted to let Dave reach out to the audience here at SensChirp to introduce the project in its early stages. Take it away, Dave!
PRESERVING THE PAST TO MOTIVATE THE FUTURE
With a young core in place and a legitimate superstar on the backend, the future of hockey in Ottawa looks bright. We’re now almost a decade removed from the pinnacle of success of the modern franchise and fans are anxious to see the team reach new heights. As a fan base we are constantly being reminded that we don’t belong the in the “legacy club” occupied by “original six teams” and their long list of Stanley cups and hall of famers, of which the modern Sens have none.
Despite the banners that hang high above the ice at CTC with the words “Stanley Cup Champions” printed on them, the fan base lacks any connection to these past teams. As Sens fans we like to remind our neighbors to the south that achievements from distant decades hold less value in the banter traded across rivalry lines, but in doing so, I fear we may be diminishing the past success that defines our own storied past.
As a die-hard fan born shortly before the introduction of the modern franchise I have always felt connected to the present and optimistic about the future, but becoming acquainted with our past has helped me feel more proud to wave my flag as a fan of the Sens and native of our wonderful city.
OUR SHARED LEGACY
In 2017, the City of Ottawa will host celebrations to commemorate the 150th anniversary of our country. The city will take center stage and pull out all the stops to be recognized as a world-class city worthy of being a capital for all Canadians to be proud of. It is my belief that this event is a golden opportunity to bring our past to life and in turn motivate a young and growing fan base to be active in the preservation of our history.
For too long we have been told, and have told ourselves that the past doesn’t matter. Perhaps we have believed this to be true because the past has been out of reach, forgotten and poorly preserved. From the years 1934-1992 Ottawa was sadly left behind during the growth of the National Hockey League. Since rejoining the league, the fans have fought for recognition in the shadows of our neighbors who participated in the triumphs and championships that coloured the history of the sport we all love.
REVIVING HISTORY
For years I have kicked around ideas, often while watching the Sens, for how we can bring our history to life. What once started as simple dreaming of an ambitious idea has now turned into passion and enthusiasm that refuses to die. The time is now to share our history with each other and our community, both in Ottawa and beyond.
Myself, and my long time best friend have recently launched a website to promote our concept for a documentary that explores the untold story of Ottawa’s hockey history. As Ottawa natives and Sens fans, we refuse to let our history be forgotten or neglected, especially during a time of commemoration and celebration of our past. Our website highlights some of the core legacies of hockey in our city, but we wish to see this project grow and become a part of the 2017 celebrations.
We are reaching out to fellow Sens fans and asking for your support in the early stages of development. As a producer and digital marketer I recognize the importance of connecting with an audience and sharing in the growth of a project. I also know that this will be a significant undertaking, one that will require support and involvement from the fans and community in Ottawa.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT
At this stage we would love it if you would visit our website and show your support for the project simply by inputting your email and sharing our site with fellow fans. You can consider this as the digital form of raising your hand to say: “I want to see this documentary.” It is a small ask, but one that will be crucial to our potential for getting this project properly funded and recognized in advance of 2017.
You will probably see us often from here on out, making noise and knocking on doors to do anything we can to preserve the past and bring history to life through documentary storytelling.
You may also see us making noise alongside you at the CTC next season, as we cheer on this team that we all love so dearly. No matter where you see us, you will know that we are proud fans with an eye on the future and one on the past.
