MASSIVE 100 YEAR CELEBRATION

As a Saskatchewan Roughriders alumnus, Dale West will participate in some of the events surrounding the team's centennial celebration in 2010.
A few years ago, he wasn't so sure he'd get the chance.

"When I first came here and through a few years after I retired, I wondered whether there were even going to be 100 years," the former Roughriders defensive back said Tuesday.

"There were telethons and (the deals offering) wheat for season tickets. At times, it has been a struggle ...

"I'm really, really excited about this. It's just an outstanding display of what Rider Pride is all about."

At a media conference Tuesday, the CFL team announced some of the initiatives it has planned to mark its 100-year anniversary. Nearly all of them involve the province's residents.
"As much as this is about the team, the centennial probably is more about our fans and the communities and the support we have," said Jim Hopson, the Roughriders' president and CEO. "That has been our focus, to really make sure we recognize why we exist -- and we exist because of the support we get.

"Yes, we've got some great players and alumni, but we think it's more important to get the fans involved in this."

One of the planned initiatives will do that in spades. "Where is Riderville?" is an online contest the team is holding to determine where in the province the best Roughriders fans live.
Between May 1 and June 15, communities can submit stories, pictures and videos to www.riderville.com to show why they have the best fans. Five finalists will be selected by June 30, with the winner of online balloting to be announced at the Labour Day Classic.

The winning community will receive a $25,000 donation to its minor sports programs, a fan day featuring Roughriders players, alumni and coaches, and a "Riderville" road sign to put at the outskirts of town to celebrate its victory.

The Roughriders also have commissioned five Saskatchewan-based artists to create an anniversary art collection that is to be displayed at the MacKenzie Art Gallery in June and the Dunlop Gallery in September.

There's also the Hill Centre Mural, which is to be made out of panels of perforated vinyl and affixed to the slopes of the Hill Centre Towers. The one-way vision panels will bear the Roughriders' new and old logos.

"When (the committee) brought it to me, I thought it was so great that I thought, 'Can we afford this and can we get the support to do it?' " Hopson said. "But it turned out to be affordable and we think it's going to be that one piece that everybody will remember and hopefully will be featured in a lot of places outside of Saskatchewan."

The Roughriders also plan to send "birthday baskets" to the 80 communities in Saskatchewan that are celebrating their centennials in 2010. As well, the team is to honour Saskatchewan residents who are 100 years of age or older, and fans who are the longest continuous season-ticket holders.

A one-hour documentary also is in the works, but its status has been muddied by the recent closure of SCN.

Former players will be front and centre during the year, which thrills West.
"Everywhere I go as an alumnus, (the fans) bring things up," said West, who played with the Roughriders from 1962 through '68. "People have amazing memories. I think every time I stumbled and fell is imprinted in their minds.

"The club has been exceptionally good to the players. It really got behind us when we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the '66 (Grey Cup-winning) team. That was really special and they treated us like gods. Everybody really, really appreciated that."

Hopson said the cost of the centennial celebration "will run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars," but the assistance of 15 sponsors will help with the bill. So will the sale of merchandise associated with the 100-year anniversary.

"We didn't go into the centennial to be a profit-driven experience," Hopson said. "It'd be great to break even. If we make a little money, that's great. But what we want it to be is a great experience and a great celebration."