It was the fall of 1976. The arena was closed for construction of the new Jasper Activity Centre and curling rink, and a group of workers suddenly found themselves with a little extra time on their hands.
So they did what any group of Jasper workers might do when a new facility was on the horizon: they started a hockey team.
The Bong Squad entered what would be the inaugural season of the Jasper Commercial Hockey League. By the following spring, the Bongs had added a baseball team, too.
And just like that, a Jasper institution was born.
Fifty years later, the Bongs Athletic Association is still going strong—and still doing things its own way.
Over the years, the Bongs name has become synonymous with recreational sports, camaraderie and a disdain for the mainstream. The organization eventually incorporated under Alberta’s Societies Act, giving the Bongs a more formal structure while allowing them to maintain their distinctly informal spirit.
That spirit was on full display Sept. 11 and 12, when Bongs past and present gathered in Jasper to celebrate the organization’s 50th anniversary.
The weekend included a hockey game Friday night followed by an evening at the Whistle Stop, a golf tournament with 35 players at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge on Saturday and a wind-up banquet at the Royal Canadian Legion.
There was plenty of reminiscing, plenty of socializing and, naturally, plenty of sport.
But beneath the fun has always been a more serious side to the Bongs.
For five decades, the organization has used its events to raise money for people and organizations around Jasper. That tradition continued during the 50th anniversary, with $580 raised for Jasper Minor Sports and another $1,200 raised for a sick friend.
It’s a fitting legacy for an organization that has never quite fit the conventional definition of a sports association.
The Bongs may not have the polished image of an elite sporting club, but they have filled a different and equally useful role in the community: giving people a reason to play, to gather and, occasionally, to raise a little hell together.
And after 50 years, they’re still at it.
The Bongs Athletic Association would like to thank Jasper Raft Tours, Earls Restaurant, Jasper Brew Pub, Fire Hall, Pursuit Collections, North Face Pizza, Jasper Eavestroughing’s Derek Helfrick, Ridgeline Contracting’s Ryan Malenchak, 52 North Builders, Naughty Boy Oilfield Services and Jasper Liquor Lodge for their generous donations toward the anniversary celebrations.
The organization also extends its thanks to the Jasper Activity Centre, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Pro Shop Team and the Royal Canadian Legion for helping make the weekend possible.
Fifty years on, the name may still raise an eyebrow.
But in Jasper, the Bongs have long since become part of the furniture.
Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
