WARMINGTON: Don Cherry reminds 'you people' who boss of Canada is still at Christmas

Donald S. Cherry always has a way with words when addressing “you people” out there!

When it comes to delivering a classic line to meet the time, you can always count on the Coach to be in clever’s corner. As celebrity Christmas posts on social media go, the winner has to be Don Cherry.

“To all you people out there, Merry Christmas,” Grapes posted on X on Dec. 25.

Rim shot!

The guy still has his legendary sense of humour. And he got some digs in at the same time. That’s epic enough, but to see that smile on the Coach’s face as he carved up the turkey was truly heartwarming – and so Canadian.

Former NHL defenceman and current hockey analyst PK Subban’s X response of a red maple leaf next to a goat emoji was also perfect.

GOAT – Greatest Of All Time.

Don Cherry is definitely one of the Greatest Canadians. He was once voted the 7th in a CBC poll.

When it comes to hockey broadcasting, there is no bigger historic star than Cherry who not only held court for 38 years on Coach’s Corner, on Hockey Night in Canada, he also held people’s attention. And he still does in the social media era.

There is only one Cherry

There is no other person I have ever known on television where people in a loud bar would turn off the music during the first intermission of an NHL game so they could hear what Don had to say during his famous segment.

As we go into 2026, and get ready to celebrate Cherry’s 92nd birthday in February, it’s definitely time to make sure Grapes gets into the broadcasting wing of the Hockey Hall of Fame by being bestowed the Foster Hewitt Award. There is no one already honoured, or who is on anybody’s ballot, who is more deserving than Cherry.

It’s been more than six years now since Cherry was fired on Remembrance Day by Rogers Sportsnet over his famous “you people” comment that in the fullness of time has proven to be nothing compared to the comments and actions of many other people who have not been cancelled.

It’s time to put Grapes in there – far past time. Hopefully it will happen in 2026.

New Cherry Grill set to open

One thing that will happen for sure is the new Don Cherry’s Sports Grill is scheduled to open early in the new year with crews working hard on the construction inside the old Parry Sound Mall, now home to popular The Zone bowling alley and arcade and party place.

The previous, longtime Don Cherry’s location on Bowes St. closed down own in September. But this new location has a lot of people excited.

It’s going to be owned and operated by brothers Chris and Darryl Painter.

“We are hoping for it to be opened by the end of January,” said Chris, who holds the Don Cherry Sport’s Grill business licensing with his brother and decided to reopen the restaurant that was very successfully for three decades by Tim and Alda Turner when they decided to retire.

The brothers, who also ran Bobby Orr’s famous golf tournament, plan on “building back up the brand” with the new location that will serve the Parry Sound area while employing up to 20 people.

“We are very proud of our association with Don,” Chris said. “Grapes is an icon and he represents a special place in this country.”

It’s so true. No column I write will do as well as anything I write about Donald S. Cherry.

It’s as if Canada knows his cancellation from the airwaves in 2019 was a bad mistake and there is still time for Canada to rewrite it.

Interesting because with the exception of Mayor Olivia Chow, who didn’t take to X to wish Toronto residents a Merry Christmas like she does for Ramadan, Prime Minister Mark Carney, Premier Doug Ford, Mississauga Carolyn Parrish and Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw all sent out Christmas messages.

But Cherry’s tweet really stood out.

Wings and some bowling

That’s why Don is so loved across the country. Parry Sound, which is Bobby Orr and Boston Bruins country, is certainly no exception. Orr’s old coach, Grapes, is as legendary heading into 2026 as has ever been.

The location inside the family-run fun bowling and games centre, owned and operated by husband-and-wife team of Sean Held and Jamie Baker, is a perfect fit for this new Don Cherry’s restaurant.

It’s going to be a great place to go to watch a hockey game or to have some fun during the summer if you are up in cottage country. You can enjoy a family meal, or celebrate a birthday, order the best wings or watch the game, then go bowling or hit the arcade all in one place.

But it also is very Canadian, which is so needed now. Local people, local investment and local customers keeping money flowing in small-town Ontario. Who knows, maybe there will end up being a Don Cherry’s coffee and donut place to give Tim Horton’s a run for their money?

Either way, there’s some positive things happening in Parry Sound, where things are actually being constructed instead of being torn down and boarded up, as is happening in many other parts of Canada.

Parry Sound is back in the Don Cherry zone again. And “you people” are going to love it.

jwarmington@postmedia.com