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TELL US WHAT YOU THINK! SPURLINE TRAIL UNION STREET CROSSING The city is reviewing the Spurline Trail crossing at Union Street to better understand the current crossing conditions. The Spurline Trail is a hard-surfaced multi-use trail running along 2.5 kilometres of rail line. This popular transportation corridor for pedestrians and cyclists connects the GO Station located on the northeast side of downtown Kitchener and uptown Waterloo. PLEASE JOIN US FOR A PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRE to learn more about the current uses, conditions, and potential crossing improvement options for Spurline Trail's Union Street crossing. Your feedback will assist us in preparing a final recommendation for this crossing. Date: Thursday, May 18, 2017 Time: 5:30 to 8 p.m. Location: Waterloo City Centre (main floor - atrium), 100 Regina St. S., Waterloo If you are unable to attend this public information centre, but would like to share your comments, please join our online forum on waterloo.ca/engage and tell us what you think. This forum will be available for comment until May 25, 2017. For more information, visit waterloo.ca/spurlinetrailcrossing P. 519.886.1550 TTY. 1.866.786.3941 waterloo.ca/publicnotices New Bicycle Store ZM Cycle & Fitness Ltd. 2055 Dufferin St., Toronto 416-652-0080 131 Strange St., Kitchener (between Victoria & Park) Lots of Free Parking 519-208-5080 Almost 6000 square feet to meet all your cycling needs Now Open In KItchener WaterLoo Ziggy Martuzalski is BacK! Polish and canadian national champion • Mountain Bike • Velodrome • Cyclocross • Duathlon Dedicated to Cycling & Fitness since 1970 #1 zmcyclefitness.com 30 • WATERLOO CHRONICLE • THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2017 Earlier this week I had the pleasure of attend- ing Media Day for the upcoming Manulife LPGA Classic (June 8-11) at Whistle Bear Golf Club. Th e offi cial tournament press conference was a love-fest of sorts and why wouldn't it be? Th e Manulife Classic has been an unqualifi ed success since it debuted in the Tri-Cities in 2012 at Grey Silo Golf Course in Waterloo. Th e last two tourna- ments have been held at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge. Whether it was defending champion Caroline Masson of Germany and Canadian Jennifer Kirby (Paris, Ont.) singing their praises in person or inaugural tournament winner Brittany Lang doing so via video, it was clear that our area is a favourite among players. It's a fan fave as well. For fi ve years, the Man- ulife Classic has ranked among the most well- attended tournaments on tour, sometimes second only to the U.S. Open. And speaking of singing, the hosts even brought in a birthday cake -- a Black Forrest beauty -- for Masson whose birthday was the day before. Th e 28-year-old, who resides in Orlando, Florida, was treated to a round of "Happy Birth- day" from volunteers, staff and us media types. Hopefully, there wasn't a recording device any- where near where fellow columnist Bill "Skip" Johns and I were sitting because, like us, it would not have been pretty. Here are some other takeaways from Monday's promotional presser: • One thing fans want to know is who will be in the fi eld each year. In addition to Masson, Kirby and Lang, Lexi Th ompson -- of the now infamous four-stroke-penalty-during-a-Major fi asco -- has confirmed. Thompson, who ranked second in driving distance and fi rst in eagles made in 2016, is easily one of the most exciting players on tour to watch. She played Grey Silo but will make her fi rst attempt at taming the bear next month. • Our nation's most exciting play- er, Brooke Henderson (Smith Falls), will be back. Henderson is one of only three LPGA players to win on tour before their 18th birthday (the others are Th ompson and Lydia Ko). Still only nineteen, Henderson won her fi rst Major last year (KPMG Women's PGA Championship), ranked second in birdies made and fi nished third on the tour money list. If you want to follow Hender- son up close, I suggest attending on Thursday or Friday and even then, you'll have some hustling to do. She's clearly the most popular player in the fi eld. • Also confi rmed is another 2016 Major win- ner: Th ailand's Ariya Jutanugarn (RICOH Wom- en's British Open). Jutanugarn currently sits third in world rankings and captured both the Rolex Player of the Year and money title one year ago. • 2015 Manulife Classic champ, Suzann Pet- tersen of Norway (two Majors, 15 wins on tour), will try to duplicate her heroics from two years ago when she birdied two of the fi nal three holes on Sunday to capture the tournament's initial go- round at Whistle Bear. • If you're interested in helping out at the Man- ulife Classic this year, you need to let tournament officials know asap. There is a serious need for more volunteers, particularly marshalls. In order to volunteer, go to their website (www. manulifeclassic.ca) and the volunteer button will be the fi rst thing you see. • Still no word on whether a local sponsor tak- ing over from Manulife Financial is imminent. Tournament organizers and the LPGA would both like to keep this event in town but right now, the future is uncertain. Manulife Financial made it known last year that this would be its fi nal turn as the Classic's major spon- sor after extending their commitment twice and doing so for six years. • As part of tournament week, there will be a Women of Infl uence luncheon on Tuesday, June 6 at Whistle Bear beginning at 11:30 a.m. Featured speakers are Brittany Lang and Diva International Inc. CEO Carinne Chambers-Saini. Tickets are going fast but still available. • The always-popular Red Day will again be part of the tourney on Friday, June 9. Players, fans and volunteers are encouraged to wear red in order to raise awareness for women and heart dis- ease, as it continues to be the No. 1 cause of death among Canadian women aged 55 and older. To date, the Manulife Classic and Red Day has raised $1.6 million for the St. Mary's General Hos- pital Foundation. ••• Brian Totzke is a freelance writer who had Bill "Skip" Johns as his playing partner in the Media Day 3-hole scramble. � e "Chronicle Kids" stunned the masses with a one-over-par � nish. No auto- graphs were issued as none were requested. BRIAN TOTZKE THE FIFTH QUARTER � e Manulife LPGA Classic is right around the corner KCI wins WCSSAA crown in girls' rugby The Kitchener Colle- giate Institute Raiders have made it three in a row. With a 26-5 win over the Waterloo-Oxford Crusad- ers girls' rugby team, the Raiders claimed their third championship. Despite the lopsided score, it wasn't an easy win for the Raiders. With a slim 7-5 lead after the fi rst half, the Raiders turned on the afterburners to explode for 19-second half points to propel them to the win. Both teams will move on to the Central Western Ontario championships beginning on Wednesday at Preston High School in Cambridge. The two top teams from that ourna- ment will move on the the OFSAA championships.