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Unexpected death leaves Waterloo Siskins reeling e Waterloo Siskins I Junior B hockey club suffered the worst loss in the team‘s 70â€"year history last Thursday with the unexâ€" pected death of forward Trevor Broome. "It‘s devastating." said Siskins general manager Bob Playford about the sudden death of the popular 17â€" yearâ€"old Waterloo native, affectionately know as "Broomer" by his teamâ€" mates. "There‘s really no words to describe it." The organization offered its condolences to the Broome family Sunday as they held a special rememâ€" brance for the Grade 12 Bluevale student before the game against the Owen Sound Greys at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Comâ€" plex. They remembered a "grinder" who refused to let injuries get in the way of his love for the game, and held a moment of silence in his honour before the first puck was dropped. At the team‘s request. Broome‘s dark away jersey will hang on the team‘s bench for the remainder of the season, and his jersey number 16 will be retired at the end of the year. The playâ€" ers also wore a dark patch with Broome‘s number on the front of their uniforms. Playford said the players were devastated by the news of Broome‘s death, and the club had grief counsellors speak to the team Friday night. Chronicle shines spotlight on youth The project will highlight local youths between the ages 12 and 20 who are making their mark on the community in different ways â€" academics, athletâ€" ics, arts, voluntecring. etc We invite readers to sub mit a oneâ€" to twoâ€"paragraph Thr Waterloo Chronicle is accepting submissions for a special section to be released in April. The team also cancelled By Bos Vruanac Chronicle Staff Friday night‘s game against Brantford, and only took to the ice Saturday night in Guelph at the players urgâ€" ing. "It helped the guys pour it out a little bit," said Playâ€" ford. "All we can do as an organization is offer our support to the players and the family." The team provided a colour guard for Broome‘s funeral yesterday at the Waterloo Mennonite Brethren Church. They were joined by some of Broome‘s former terammates from the Waterloo Midget Triple "A" Wolves. Broome was a member of the Wolves squad that made it to the Air Canada Cup last vear, playing in the Canadiâ€" an Midget National Champiâ€" onships in Sault Ste. Marie. Broome, wearing number 73 for the Wolves. considâ€" ered it his greatest sports moment. and scored 31 goals while adding 31 assists in the 73 games he played for the club. biography on these youths, describing their areas of excellence and the contriâ€" butions they‘ve made, and include a photograph of them taking part in the activity for which they‘re being recognized. In 30 games with the Siskins this season, Broome had six goals and six assists, but head coach Dave Officer Chronicle staff will then choose the submissions that best fit the theme of the spe cial section. We cannot guarantee all entries will Trevor Broome said he had a big impact in the dressing room. "I got to know Trevor through my son (Scott) who went to school with him last year," said Officer, who is also a guidance counsellor at Bluevale. "They estabâ€" lished a good relationship... and I got to know him well. "He was a very likable young man and we‘re going to miss him. He was an enjoyable boy to coach â€" it‘s just a huge loss." Ben Moser, who scored a goal in Sunday‘s 3â€"2 loss to Owen Sound, was a teamâ€" mate of Broome‘s on the Waterloo Wolves. He pointed to Broome‘s sweater behind the bench after scoring the goal, and clutched the patch he was wearing on his chest. "That was for him," said Moser, who also played on a line with Broome for much of this season. "Every shift 1 played 1 tried to do it for "I can‘t even explain how much it hurts... I loved the kic." The Siskins‘ leading goal scoret Paul Mcllveen, who knew Broome since they were five years old, said he‘ll dedicate every goal he scores to his fallen teamâ€" mate for the rest of the seaâ€" son. He scored five times against Guelph Saturday night, opening the scoring just 13 seconds in. "We just gave it our all for Broomer," said Mcllveen, who added it was tough looking at his empty stall in the dressing room. "We just pushed ourâ€" selves and I think it made us a stronger team. "It brought us together." Readers can mail entries or submit them in person to the Waterloo Chronicle, 279 Weber St. N., Waterloo, ON, N2J 3H8. make the publication Entries can also be e mailed to editorial@water loochronicle.ca. Entries must be submit ted by March 1, 2004. For more information call 886â€"2830, ex1. 215. * * & «* * lgd“ # ,g_ 4. Xb 1,4 K.. The RIM Park shortfall is on the rise. Coun. Jan d‘Ailly, who is the chair of the finance and strategic planning, unveiled an update of the RIM Park deficit that the city and taxâ€" payers are facing, during a committee of the whole meeting Monday night. And that update indicatâ€" ed the net cost of the park to taxpayers is $3.6 million for 2004, which puts the park $1.1 million over budget this vear. That means the average houseboid could pay an additional $71 to share the vosts of RIM Park. RIM Park shortfall on the rise, tops $1 million The figure has increased from the $750,000 shortfall for the recreation facility that was reported last year. Ward 5 Coun. lan MclLean reacts to a twist in the stor;; Cloudy with a Chance of Meatâ€" bails he read to a Grade 4 class at Elizabeth Ziegler public school last Friday afternoon McLean‘s visit was in honour of the school‘s Reading Week, promoting literacy to stuâ€" dents. By Jason Minpoueros For The Chronicle "The numbers are not pretty, but they are the facts," said d‘Ailly. "Facts that we have to deal with and facts that will make this budget extremely difficult." When the park was planned, an estimate pegged at an operating to the taxpayers at $1.2 lion. Comneil approved these numbers. The group also assigned Paul Hettinga, an "We have to find ways to make RIM Park affordable." Scary story Ward 1 councillor â€" lan d‘Ailly first was cost milâ€" employee from the city‘s finance department, the responsibility of reporting the finances of RIM Park to the public on a monthly basis. Updates would be availâ€" able on the city‘s Web site.. D‘Ailly also suggested the city look at hiring a profesâ€" sional to achieve a marketâ€" ing plan for the facility to make it more profitable. *RIM Park is a fdbulous facility," he said. "We have to find ways to make RIM Park affordable. "We‘ll look at all oppor tunities and all ideas." Coun. Mark Whaley said, "What I think you‘ve done here Coun. d‘Ailly is you‘ve given back the community some credibility and turned away from all the nonsense and stepped right into some common sense." @08 vrBahac °â€"OTG