The new owner of the Wallaceburg Lakers Hockey team is a group from Essex with a background in the game and big plans for the future.
Joseph Byrne of the Byrne Laus Hockey Corporation says it is taking a professional approach and plans are in the works for a year round training program and active community involvement.
Byrne says that will attract more players both from Wallaceburg and beyond and give them a chance to succeed.
"They younger guys have opportunities to go into Junior B, OHL, the older guys have an opportunity to move on to college or semi-pro," he says. "If we can get to the level of the Essex 73s and the Belle River (Lakeshore) Canadiens that builds interest all around the league."
Byrne is a lawyer and farmer from the town of Essex who has played Junior hockey for several Essex teams as well as the old Tilbury Bluebirds, and his son Joe played for the Plymouth Whalers.
Byrne's son and Dr. Boris Laus are the other members of the team.
They plan to have a community board continue to run the Lakers and say they have no plans to move the team.
