It wasn't hard to spot Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates at the free skating session he sponsored Saturday at the Meridian Credit Union Arena. His bright orange hockey jersey, emblazoned with the number 13 on the back because "nobody wears that number," stood out like a sore thumb.
Niagara-on-the-Lake Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa dropped by, without his skates it must be mentioned. Gates, a long-time goalie over many years of playing pick-up hockey, was wearing his goalie skates which had recently been sharpened. As he scraped them against a hard surface before he headed out onto the ice, he explained "They sharpened them for a skater, so I'm trying to make them a little more dull."
Free coffee and donuts were available and Gates' staff was on hand to hand out a bag of goodies to all participants. The bright orange bags, made to match Gates' hockey jersey, included a mini-hockey stick stamped with the MPP's contact information on the side.
The hour-and-a-half-long event was a chance for Gates to meet some of the constituents of one of the three municipalities within the provincial riding that he has represented for more than 10 years. And of course, that included some of the future voters who came out with their families to enjoy a few loops around the rink.