My Hometown - Derek Leblanc



		Derek LeBlanc is one of a number of Calgary Hitmen players, including Ryan White, Carson McMillan, and Alex Plante, who are from the city of Brandon, Manitoba. However, although Derek grew up in Manitoba, he is not originally from Brandon. Derek was “born in Killarney” then moved to Thompson and Neepawa before finally settling in Brandon. When he’s away from Brandon Derek misses his “family and friends”, although most of Derek’s extended family do not live in his hometown “but surrounding it”. Brandon is a city of approximately 40,000 people located in south western Manitoba about “2 hours” from Winnipeg, and “11 hours” from Calgary (click here for a map). Derek describes the climate of his hometown as having “warm summer(s) and cold winter(s).” One of the primary attractions in the city of Brandon is the Riverbank area. The Assiniboine River passes through the heart of the city, and there is a network of trails and beautiful parks and gardens to enjoy along the riverbank. Some of these include the Eleanor Kidd Gardens, The Botanical Gardens, Queen Elizabeth Park, and Princess Park. Some common pastimes for kids in Brandon are to “play street hockey” or to skate at the “outdoor rinks”. When Derek visits his hometown, his favourite things to do are to “go to the Keystone, and play roller hockey”. He recommends that tourists visiting Brandon should also make sure to “visit the Keystone.” The Keystone Centre is a huge convention, entertainment, agriculture and recreation complex, which contains almost 10 acres under one roof! It includes several ice rinks, curling rinks, an indoor athletic court, an agricultural centre, an amphitheatre, and several conference and banquet rooms. The Keystone is also home to the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings. The Hitmen met the Wheat Kings in last season’s Eastern Conference Semi-Final Playoff series, and Derek played for the Wheat Kings before being traded to the Hitmen earlier this season. Another great way to spend some time in Brandon is to visit the city’s downtown area. Downtown Brandon is home to a number of unique specialty shops and restaurants. The city is also home to a number of must-see attractions including fascinating historical buildings, heritage sites, galleries and museums. Some of these include the Brandon University, The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, The Daly House Museum, The Royal Canadian Artillery Museum, and the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba. Brandon also features a number of exciting annual events and festivals, including Manitoba Ag Days, the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair and the Brandon Folk Music and Art Festival. The city of Brandon, Manitoba offers a great variety of attractions and activities, from hockey and recreation to historical sites and museums. Brandon is a wonderful place to call your hometown! Thank-you for reading about Derek LeBlanc’s hometown! If you would like to learn more about Brandon, Manitoba you can visit http://www.econdev.brandon.mb.ca/ or http://www.brandon.com/tourism/. Also, a big thanks to Derek for taking the time to tell us about their hometown and to Economic Development Brandon for the pictures used in this article! Return to "My Hometown"