THOROLD – The mayor of Thorold, Ont. and council ordered the Jr. B Thorold Blackhawks to change its logo before the 2016 to 2017 season began at the end of last season.
All old logos have been removed from any arena in Thorold and has been banned from all city owned rinks.
In 2013, Thorold resident Mitch Baird created a Facebook page addressing the Blackhawks crest’s offensive nature.
After three years of debate, Thorold mayor Ted Luciani has given the team a deadline of June 1, 2017 to change the team’s crest. That order also extends to the Thorold Amateur Athletic Association, which also makes use of the logo. Luciani ordered that the logo will not be allowed inside Thorold’s arenas in any form.
“The City of Thorold, as represented by Council, shares the belief that the logo is discriminatory in nature,” Luciani wrote. “The city also believes that its continued use is a form of harassment.”
The city has taken steps to remove the logo from inside the arenas, a decision which “recognized the seriousness of the issue and was intended to demonstrate leadership in working toward a resolution between all parties.”
