Junior Hockey Giants Comes to Belleville

On Tuesday, June 2nd, author, journalist, and filmmaker Aaron Bell officially launched Junior Hockey Giants: Local Legends Belleville to a room full of people who clearly share his passion for the game and the community that built it.
The book covers local hockey history from the Belleville Jr. B Bobcats and the Belleville Bulls forward, drawing on archival photographs from Bell's own collection and the Belleville Intelligencer. It's Bell's sixth book overall and a direct follow-up to last summer's Junior Hockey Giants — expanded specifically because he felt the original didn't go deep enough on local content. "When I put it out, I was like, there's not enough local players, or local content. So, I figured, let's put it out and really celebrate those stories."
Bell opened with a short presentation that doubled as part hockey history, part love letter to Belleville. The highlight was a trailer for his upcoming four-part documentary series airing on YourTV for Cogeco Cable customers — rich footage, sharp storytelling, and an unmistakable sense of place. Episodes will also be available online after broadcast.
What came through clearly was Bell's commitment to the long game. Nearly twenty years of chronicling Belleville hockey has taken him through the Memorial Arena and Yardman eras, the rise of local NHL stars, and deep into the archives, rediscovering rinkside sponsorships and centre ice logos most of us had forgotten. Those aren't just old ads. They're artifacts of a community's identity.
The book signing drew a steady line. The limited-edition fine art print giveaway for the first 100 attendees added some extra buzz, and the energy in the room reflected what Bell has been saying all along: Belleville is a hockey town, and these stories are worth keeping.
Plans are in the works for additional books targeting other historic hockey markets, which suggests Local Legends Belleville is the beginning of something larger — and that ambition feels well earned.If you missed the launch, don't miss the book. Visit hockeydocs.com/belleville to order your copy.  
You can also celebrate Belleville’s Jr hockey history with one of Legacy Sports exclusive Belleville Bobcat tee shirts.