A newly renovated feature at Knights of Columbus Park could soon bear the name of one of Peterborough’s most celebrated lacrosse figures.
Peterborough city council has endorsed a notice of motion to rename the park’s new bowl as the Bobby Allan Bowl, recognizing the lasting contributions of lacrosse legend Bobby Allan to the sport locally, provincially and nationally.
The proposal comes as Knights of Columbus Park undergoes major renovations, including upgrades to the bowl’s floor and boards.
In supporting the motion, council noted Allan’s deep connection to the area. He grew up just two blocks from the park and spent much of his youth playing lacrosse there.
Allan is widely regarded as one of Canada’s greatest lacrosse players. He was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1974, the Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame in 1980, and became the first lacrosse player inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.
During his playing career, Allan won four Mann Cup championships in 1954, 1956, 1962 and 1966.
His influence on the game extended beyond his playing days. Allan coached box lacrosse teams in Peterborough and Philadelphia before guiding Canada’s national field lacrosse team to a world championship in Manchester, England, in 1970. He later coached the Peterborough Lakers to a Mann Cup title in 1973.
Supporters of the renaming say the honour would recognize not only Allan’s accomplishments on the floor and behind the bench, but also his longstanding connection to a facility that helped shape his lacrosse career.
The motion now moves forward as part of the city’s process for formally renaming the facility.
