SPRING SWAP MEET CELEBRATING MILESTONE
Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group hosts 50th edition of event at Red Deer Agricentre
Something about attending a spring swap meet gets vintage motorcycle enthusiasts fired up and ready to roll. In Western Canada, the big event is the Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group's (CVMG) swap meet, hosted by the Central Alberta (CENAL) Section. This year, the club has reason to celebrate. Since 1996, the group has hosted two swap meets a year, and on Sunday, when their annual Spring Motorcycle Swap Meet rolls into the Agricentre on the Westerner Fairgrounds in Red Deer, it will be their 50th event.
“We missed about four swap meets during COVID, but by my count, this is swap meet number 50,” says Craig Cooksley, who most often goes by Bentley as he lives in Bentley. Cooksley has been involved with CENAL since its earliest days. He has held every executive position and helped either organize or set up every swap event that's been held.
“This meet has turned into the only big motorcycle swap meet in Western Canada,” Cooksley says, and adds, “There used to be a big meet out in Tsawwassen, B.C., but it's moved a couple of times and is now no longer running. I believe that makes ours one of the largest out here in the west.”
As a not-for-profit, completely volunteer-run group, CENAL member Bill Hoar of Ponoka says enough money is made each year from their spring and fall swap meets to keep their CVMG section active.
“It has afforded our group the funds to hold the annual Ponoka Rally, and help host other rally events such as Hand Hills,” Hoar said.
“Most importantly, it has allowed us to give back to the central Alberta community and donate thousands of dollars each year to various worthy causes such as central Alberta food banks, One Broken Biker, or Big Brothers and Big Sisters, to name a few.” Cooksley adds,
“We just believe it's important to be involved in the places we live, and to give back.”
Hoar says the swap meet was started on a small scale in 1996 by a few vintage motorcycle enthusiasts, including himself, John Ferguson, Bob Deputan and Don Papineau, among others.
The first event was held on picnic tables outside of Ferguson's old Precision Cycle Works storefront in Red Deer. Next, it moved to an empty bay beside Precision Cycle's shop. The group moved the event to the Red Deer Armoury and then to Hangar #6 at the CFB Penhold base.
“Bob (Deputan) and I organized these early swap meets with eager volunteer help in what became the CVMG, Central Alberta Section in 1998,” Hoar explains, and adds, “Linking with the CVMG afforded us liability insurance under their liability coverage policy.”
In the early years, the group purchased plywood and table legs to construct vendor tables and painted them purple. The colour is now something of a hallmark. Hoar says.
“I recall going up to Sherwin-williams on the north end of Red Deer and asking for the cheapest paint to cover our tables and periwinkle was on the shelf, returned by a previous buyer, so heavily discounted.”
By 2000, Hoar says the group was outgrowing the hangar space and, with member Vance (Skinny) Labine's vision, moved to the Red Deer Westerner Fairgrounds.
“It was a jump to the big leagues, renting either the Stockmen's Pavilion or Agricentre twice a year to greatly increase our space, add concession, show and shine displays and provide vendors and public easy paved access off Highway 2 between Edmonton and Calgary,” Hoar says.
Of course, the swap meet is all about old motorcycles and motorcycle parts.
Vendors and buyers routinely trek from as far away as Manitoba and B.C. to hunt for rare treasure.
Speaking from personal experience, I can relate the excitement of finding a Triumph pre-unit gas tank, the type that takes an instrument panel on top. It was a great find, one that found a home on a 1939 T100 project. If another happened to turn up this weekend, I'd be a happy hobbyist.
The swap meets would not happen without volunteers. Cooksley says the CENAL section is made up of about 70 members, and 30 of those routinely show up and help run the group's swap meets.
Hoar adds, “We are always looking for new members with a passion for motorcycles to help continue this journey.”
Westerner Park is on the south side of Red Deer at 4847A 19th Street. Doors are open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. General admission is
$10.
For more information, contact Cooksley at 403-783-8120 or email cvmgswapmeet@gmail.com.