Longtime Calgary Flames organist Willy Joosen passes away
Willy Joosen's first year as the Flames organist was 1988-89, the year the Flames won the Stanley Cup
The Flames lost their longtime organist Friday, when Willy Joosen died.
The organization extended its condolences on social media, saying, "For 34 years, organist Willy Joosen brought so much joy and happiness to everyone who came to #Flames games. He was an incredibly kind soul who uplifted everyone around him. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends. Rest in Peace, Willy."
In a 2019 interview with CTV News, Joosen spoke to reporter Jordan Kanygin about his first night as the Flames' organist, on Oct. 17, 1988.
"That was (Wayne) Gretzky here as a Los Angeles King for the very first time and we pancaked them. It was 11-4," he recalled.
Joosen didn't have to manufacture his enthusiasm for the game. He was a passionate Flames' fan, who kept an audio recording of Peter Maher's call of the Stanley Cup winning game in 1989, which he played in the car over and over again.
"You gotta have heart in the game," he said to Kanygin. "It’s this roaring privilege to be like ‘Are you kidding? I get to sit here and watch that?’"
While the production of pro sports has evolved over the years to include a litany of recorded music, video, lights and special effects, the organ has been the soundtrack - and the backbeat - of the hockey arena and Joosen was Calgary's conductor for more than three decades.
"He’s kind of like a tradition and an institution," said Steve Edgar, the Flames’ manager of game presentation in that 2019 story.
"He’s been doing this for almost 32 years now and he just provides us with an element of our show that we can have a lot of fun with," he said.
Friday, Flames employee and Saddledome tour guide Rick Tulsie weighed in on Twitter about the passing of Joosen taking place only days after the memorial service for longtime trainer Bearcat Murray brought many members of that Stanely Cup winning Flames team back together to pay tribute in Okotoks.
"From his organ stool," Tulsie tweeted, "He would have seen most #Flames fans grow up."
With files from Jordan Kanygin
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Proportion of French speakers declines nearly everywhere in Canada, including Quebec
The proportion of Canadians who mainly speak French at home continues to decline in nearly all provinces and territories, including Quebec, the latest census release shows.
Feds announce four new passport service sites as backlog continues
The federal government is adding new passport service locations across Canada as a backlog in processing applications continues.
BREAKING
BREAKING | Ontario extending $10/day child-care opt-in deadline to get more operators to apply
Ontario is extending the deadline for child-care operators to apply for the $10-a-day program and standardizing the process in an attempt to get more providers to sign up.
The return of Zellers: Hudson's Bay to resurrect Canadian discount retail chain
Canadian department store Zellers hopes to make a comeback next year, a decade after the discount chain shuttered most of its locations., brand owner Hudson's Bay Co. said Wednesday.
Warnings issued for B.C.'s South Coast amid brief heat wave
Much of the B.C.’s South Coast is under a heat warning with temperatures expected to soar.
Intelligence memo flagged possible 'violent revenge' after Ottawa protest shutdown
Newly disclosed documents show federal intelligence officials warned decision-makers that the police dispersal of 'Freedom Convoy' protesters in Ottawa last winter could prompt an 'opportunistic attack' against a politician or symbol of government.
Why is ArriveCan still mandatory, and what is Ottawa's plan for the app?
The glitch-prone app touted as an efficient border tool early in the pandemic has become a punching bag for critics who question its utility -- but ArriveCan may be here to stay.
Trump's angry words spur warnings of real violence: officials
A growing number of ardent Donald Trump supporters seem ready to strike back against the FBI or others who they believe go too far in investigating the former U.S. president.
TikToker puts restaurants, bars to the test over wheelchair accessibility
A Toronto-based disability advocate is using the power of TikTok to raise awareness over the lack of wheelchair accessibility at many restaurants and bars.
Edmonton
-
No sanction for Coun. Janz after derogatory 'pig' retweet
Edmonton city council voted unanimously on Wednesday not to sanction Coun. Michael Janz for a retweet he made that used a derogatory word for police officers.
-
Major road closure: Section of Jasper Avenue to close for a year for bridge construction
A section of Jasper Avenue will be closed for the next year while the city replaces a bridge. Starting on Monday, the road will be closed from 90 Street to 91 Street to replace the Latta Bridge.
-
Man charged in weekend stabbing death in west Edmonton
One person has been charged in connection with the death of a man in west Edmonton on Saturday.
Vancouver
-
Vancouver zoo closed for 2nd day after wolves apparently freed intentionally
The Greater Vancouver Zoo is closed for a second day after wolves were apparently freed intentionally at the facility.
-
Warnings issued for B.C.'s South Coast amid brief heat wave
Much of the B.C.’s South Coast is under a heat warning with temperatures expected to soar.
-
4 brush fires in Surrey believed to be deliberately set: RCMP
Surrey Mounties are investigating a string of brush fires they believe were deliberately set.
Atlantic
-
Lead investigator in N.S. mass shooting says he stands by political interference accusations
The senior Mountie who made allegations of political meddling in the investigation into the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting defended his position to members of parliament Tuesday.
-
'I was just really scared': N.S. man recovering in B.C. after falling from balcony
A Maritime family is warning others about unexpected hazards you may encounter when renting a place to stay from a private host through platforms like Airbnb.
-
Opposition parties take aim at Nova Scotia premier over health-care 'crisis'
The two main opposition parties in Nova Scotia are slamming Premier Tim Houston's record on health care after his first year in power.
Vancouver Island
-
VicPD seeks witnesses to crash that sent motorcyclist to hospital with serious injuries
Victoria police are investigating what they describe as a "serious collision" between a car and a motorcycle on Wednesday morning. The crash occurred at the intersection of Cook Street and Finlayson Street just before 7 a.m.
-
NEW
NEW | One of the world's largest sailing yachts arrives on Vancouver Island
One of the largest sailing yachts in the world cruised into a small Vancouver Island community this week, drawing a constant stream of onlookers to the Mill Bay Marina.
-
'Really demanding': Vancouver Island teen training to become Formula One racer
She may only have her learner’s licence, but that hasn’t held a 16-year-old Comox Valley, B.C., teen back from working towards her goal of being a professional driver. Nicole Haverda got the green light on her desire to be a professional race car driver four years ago when her father took her to a Formula One race in Europe.
Toronto
-
BREAKING
BREAKING | Ontario extending $10/day child-care opt-in deadline to get more operators to apply
Ontario is extending the deadline for child-care operators to apply for the $10-a-day program and standardizing the process in an attempt to get more providers to sign up.
-
Ontario man gets massive surprise after winning lottery on first-ever ticket
A 24-year-old Ontario man who bought a lottery ticket for the first time says he has been left in complete shock after winning a massive prize.
-
Huge country music festival cancelled for third time and fans want refunds, answers
One of the largest music festivals in Canada was scheduled to be this weekend. But instead, it was cancelled for the third year in a row.
Montreal
-
Quebec pension fund manger posts $33.6 billion loss for first 6 months of 2022
Quebec's pension fund manager, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, will have to figure out a way to fix the hole in people's wallets after the worst first-half of the year in recent years on the markets.
-
Couple fears for safety after man hurls racist insults in front of their 8-year-old daughter
A family is concerned about their safety after they were berated outside of their home by a man who hurled racist abuse at them telling them to go back to Pakistan or India.
-
Poor road conditions to blame in woman cyclist's death: coroner's report
Poor road conditions were at fault in a woman cyclist's death in Quebec's Eastern Townships, a coroner's report has found.
Ottawa
-
Ontario to expand program allowing paramedics to avoid ERs in patient care
Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones says the province is expanding a program that allows paramedics to take patients somewhere other than an emergency room, such as a mental health facility, or to treat them on scene. Jones says she will be releasing a broader plan this week aimed at health system stability and recovery.
-
St. Brigid's church tenants want charges laid against poster campaigners
Posters against the group setting up shop in the former St. Brigid's church in Lowertown will have to come down because they violate city bylaws, according to the head of Ottawa Bylaw and Regulatory Services.
-
Everyone else to blame for LRT failures, everyone involved tells inquiry
The written closing submissions in the province’s public inquiry into Stage 1 of Ottawa’s light rail transit project are a summary of the finger-pointing seen and heard during the live testimony in June and July. A common theme that emerged is that the interested parties were not at fault, but were instead the victims of the other parties involved.
Kitchener
-
Ontario to expand program allowing paramedics to avoid ERs in patient care
Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones says the province is expanding a program that allows paramedics to take patients somewhere other than an emergency room, such as a mental health facility, or to treat them on scene. Jones says she will be releasing a broader plan this week aimed at health system stability and recovery.
-
Trail to St. Jacobs Farmers' Market now open
A new way to get to the St. Jacobs Farmers' Market is now available to the public.
-
BREAKING
BREAKING | Ontario extending $10/day child-care opt-in deadline to get more operators to apply
Ontario is extending the deadline for child-care operators to apply for the $10-a-day program and standardizing the process in an attempt to get more providers to sign up.
Saskatoon
-
Committee approves new vision for Farmers' Market Building
The Farmers' Market Building at River Landing is a step closer to reopening.
-
2022 Saskatoon Folk Fest returns Thursday through Saturday
Jeeyu Birch is looking forward to performing traditional Korean music with her mom and two children at this year’s edition of the Saskatoon Folk Fest.
-
Service disruption at Assiniboia hospital highlights province-wide issue
Assiniboia is one of more than a dozen towns in Saskatchewan to face a healthcare disruption in the last month.
Northern Ontario
-
Magic mushrooms found in northern Ontario geocache
Police are issuing a warning to northern Ontario residents after a bag of hallucinogenic drugs was found in a geocache in a provincial park.
-
Conflicting views on Laurentian University's debt plan
Laurentian University's creditors have a big decision to make as the school looks to emerge from insolvency and repay some of its debt, and now, more effected groups are now weighing in with recommendations.
-
OPP seek help investigating single vehicle collision
Ontario Provincial Police in North Bay are investigating a single vehicle collision on Clelland Road in Pringle Township on Aug. 12.
Winnipeg
-
'An honest mistake': house in Manitoba built too close to neighbour allowed to stay
A home in Steinbach built too close to a neighbour's is allowed to stay where it is after city council said the builder made an 'honest mistake.'
-
Serious assault investigation closes section of Higgins Avenue: Winnipeg police
The Winnipeg Police Service has closed a section of Higgins Avenue due to an ongoing investigation.
-
The return of Zellers: Hudson's Bay to resurrect Canadian discount retail chain
Canadian department store Zellers hopes to make a comeback next year, a decade after the discount chain shuttered most of its locations., brand owner Hudson's Bay Co. said Wednesday.
Regina
-
Sask. man charged with the alleged abduction of his daughter to make court appearance
A man charged with the alleged abduction of his daughter is set to make a court appearance in Regina on Wednesday morning regarding bail.
-
Service disruption at Assiniboia hospital highlights province-wide issue
Assiniboia is one of more than a dozen towns in Saskatchewan to face a healthcare disruption in the last month.
-
Scam involving death threats, graphic images over text detected in Regina: RPS
An ongoing online scam that threatens people’s safety and lives has now been reported in the Queen City, according to the Regina Police Service (RPS).