My Hometown - Covington



		Steve Covington is one of two Calgary Hitmen players from Maple Ridge, British Columbia (the other being Brett Sonne). The district of Maple Ridge is home to approximately 70,000 people and is located in the “lower mainland” and is about “9 hours from Calgary” (click here for a map). The nearest large city is “Vancouver” which is located about one hour east of Maple Ridge, and as such Maple Ridge is included in the Greater Vancouver Regional District. The surroundings of Maple Ridge include the majestic Golden Ears Mountains to the north and the Fraser River to the south. According to Steve the climate in his home town is “warm” and it “rains lots”. Because of this Maple Ridge and the Fraser Valley have the longest growing season in Canada and lush vegetation year round. When he’s away from Maple Ridge playing for the Hitmen Steve says that he misses the “warm climate” of his hometown. Steve has lived in Maple Ridge for his whole life, and most of his extended family resides there as well. Growing up in Maple Ridge Steve and the other kids spent a lot of their free time playing games like “kick the can.” However, these days when Steve returns to his hometown his favourite pastime is “golfing”. The District of Maple Ridge is home to six great golf courses, and because of the area’s mild weather, they are open year-round! In addition to golf courses, Maple Ridge boasts numerous other recreational centres including an award winning Leisure Centre with three indoor pools and Planet Ice, an arena with two NHL sized rinks. If you like spending time outdoors the district of Maple Ridge is home to 44 parks of various types where you can have fun and enjoy the scenic surroundings. Some of these parks include Golden Ears Provincial Park, Maple Ridge Park, Kanaka Creek Regional Park and Whonnock Lake Park. Steve suggests that tourists visiting his hometown should also be sure to “go to Whistler”, a world renowned ski resort located nearby in the Coast Mountains of western British Columbia. Maple Ridge also offers a number of interesting attractions including historical sites such as the Haney House, which was built in 1878, the Maple Ridge Museum and many others. The Port Haney Heritage Walk allows visitors to take in the many historical sites in the area. There are also several great events in the community including the Maple Ridge Mountain Festival and the Maple Ridge Jazz and Blues festival. Overall Maple Ridge is a great community that has a lot to offer no matter what your interests are, and that features the beautiful scenery and mild weather of Canada’s west coast. Maple Ridge is a great place to call your hometown! Thank-you for reading about Steve Covington’s hometown! If you would like to learn more about Maple Ridge, British Columbia check out www.mapleridge.org. Also, a big thanks to Steve for taking the time to tell us about his hometown and to the District of Maple Ridge for the pictures and information used in this article! Back to "My Hometown"