Media Advisory - Provincial plaque to commemorate The Flying Frenchmen and Édouard "Newsy" Lalonde

CORNWALL, ON, July 20, 2016 /CNW/ - Join the Ontario Heritage Trust, in partnership with the City of Cornwall and the Cornwall Sports Hall of Fame, for the unveiling of a provincial plaque commemorating "The Flying Frenchmen" a group of three original players for the Montreal Canadiens. The unveiling takes place in Cornwall, the birthplace of Édouard "Newsy" Lalonde and where he began his hockey career.

Date:	Thursday, July 21, 2016
Time:	11 a.m.
Location:	Cornwall Civic Complex
	100 Water Street East
	Cornwall, Ontario
Photo op:	Official unveiling of the provincial plaque
	Children participating in hockey-related activities

Following the formation of the Montreal Canadiens in 1909, the team's playing-manager and captain, Jean-Baptiste "Jack" Laviolette of Belleville, assembled a roster that included Cornwall native Édouard "Newsy" Lalonde and Didier "Cannonball" Pitre from the Renfrew Creamery Kings ('Renfrew Millionaires'). During the Canadiens' first decade, Laviolette, Lalonde and Pitre formed the core of the team, establishing its signature playing style and leading the Canadiens to their first Stanley Cup in 1916. Dubbed "The Flying Frenchmen," the three players later earned a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame for their prolific careers.

This provincial plaque is the second of three to be unveiled in honour of "The Flying Frenchmen." The first plaque, in recognition of Jean-Baptiste "Jack" Laviolette, was unveiled June 23 in Belleville, Ontario. The third plaque, in recognition of Didier "Cannonball" Pitre, will be unveiled at a later date.

The Ontario Heritage Trust's Provincial Plaque Program commemorates significant people, places and events in Ontario's history. Since 1956, over 1,270 provincial plaques have been unveiled.

The Trust gratefully acknowledges the Ontario Office of Francophone Affairs for its assistance and the Department of Canadian Heritage for its financial contribution to this provincial plaque through the Canada-Ontario Agreement on French-Language Services.

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SOURCE Ontario Heritage Trust

Kimberly Murphy, Marketing and Communications Specialist, Telephone: [phone], Email: [email protected]