Latest news with #Cowley
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Thames Valley Police officer in Cowley 'lied over victim contact'
A police officer found to have lied when he said he had spoken to a woman who had reported coercive control would have been sacked had he not Liam Bateman claimed he spoke to the woman on 28 March 2024 but, on being contacted the next day by a sergeant, she said they had not spoken for a Valley Police's Chief Constable Jason Hogg found Mr Bateman, who worked in Cowley, Oxford, "knowingly made false records" on the force's computer system about his contact with the Hogg found he had also "failed to properly consider the risk" to the woman and her children and that his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct. He also found Mr Bateman was told by superiors to carry out further enquiries into the woman's case but that he had Bateman resigned from the force in May 2024 and he did not attend the accelerated misconduct hearing into his behaviour earlier this name has been added to the College of Policing's barred list. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Oxfordshire speedway is more than just a sport, says lifelong fan
A city's speedway is not just about the sport, "it's about the community and what it means," a lifelong fan has told the Wagstaff, from Cowley, first watched a race at Oxford Stadium in the late said he fell in love with it because of "the sheer excitement of those four riders, just for 60 seconds".In 2007, Oxford lost its speedway team but it returned to the city 15 years later thanks to what Mr Wagstaff called a "tremendous effort by this community". The Oxford Cheetahs were founded in 1939, with Mr Wagstaff first watching the team 20 years later in 1959."My father first took me up there and during my school days I went on a very regular basis," he sport was "so frantic and gets the fans wild", he said, adding: "If the race is good, you really enjoy it - if it's not, you've always got the next one to come." The motoring journalist has now written a book called Oxford Revival about speedway in the city and the community that surrounds Wagstaff said his career had involved "writing about car racing" but speedway "was always there in the background".He said writing the book had "taken me back to where I came from"."I just felt that this was a story that really needed telling because of the tremendous effort by this community," he 2007, low attendance and the loss of the lease on the stadium in Sandy Lane, Cowley, forced the Oxford Cheetahs to fold - ending nearly 70 years of speedway in the city. A community-led battle for a decade and a half to bring the sport back to Oxford ended in success, with the Cheetahs returning to Sandy Lane in 2022."They took on the property developers and they won, over a 15-year period, and they had to fight really hard to do that," Mr Wagstaff took "lots of volunteers and lots of really hard work" to "beat the property developers" who wanted to turn Oxford Stadium into housing, he Cheetahs were "so important for the community", he said adding that speedway "enables them to come together and to focus". You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Calgary Herald
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Calgary Stampede close to breaking attendance record as 2025 event wraps up
Article content 'It sounds like they are all recovering,' Cowley said, adding a CPS investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made. Article content 'This was a targeted altercation,' he added. 'That's incredibly disheartening for an event like ours that is supposed to be a celebration, that someone would come on grounds and look to do harm to others.' Article content Cowley said Stampede security protocols are reviewed daily in collaboration with the Stampede's security team and Calgary police. Article content Article content The 2025 Stampede saw several attendance milestones. TC Energy Community Day drew more than 193,000 guests, the second-highest single-day total in Stampede history. BMO Kids Day set another attendance record, welcoming more than 161,000 visitors. Article content Seventy-three per cent of visitors were from the Calgary area, on par with last year's numbers. 'We take pride in that,' Cowley said. 'This is a community celebration where Calgarians can come together and celebrate fellowship and share an experience.' Article content Article content Article content Cowley said the remaining 27 per cent of attendees coming from outside Calgary represents a major boost to the local economy, pointing to increased hotel booking and visitor spending. 'That money is coming to Calgary, and it would not otherwise come to Calgary if it weren't for the Calgary Stampede.' Article content He cited numbers from the Calgary Hotel Association showing occupancy increased by 2.4 per cent over 2024, with roughly 10,000 more people staying in hotels this year. Article content The Stampede is set to wrap up Sunday night with a celebration of Indigenous culture at the Stampede Powwow at the Saddledome. Article content 'Calgary showed up' Article content According to early results from an internal visitor survey, the Rangeland Derby received the highest satisfaction rating of the Calgary Stampede's programming, with 80 per cent of respondents giving it a perfect score, Cowley said. Other popular attractions included the relay race, the Grandstand Show, the rodeo and the Dog Bowl. Article content 'We're very proud of the offering that we put forth this year,' Cowley said. 'Our focus is truly on providing the greatest experience we can to everyone who steps on park. Article content 'It is a decision to come to Stampede Park, and we want to make that decision as easy as possible.'
Winnipeg Free Press
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Uniquely Canadian': Stampede begins with parade led by country star Shania Twain
CALGARY – The Old West will be on full display as thousands clad in tassels, boots and buckles march through city streets today to kick off the Calgary Stampede. Country superstar Shania Twain will saddle up and lead the parade on horseback before performing Saturday at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Stampede runs until July 13. The 'Man! I Feel Like a Woman' singer, who was raised in Timmins, Ont., last took the stage at the Stampede in 2014. Twain, 59, is country music's top-selling female artist, according to Billboard. She is currently a judge on Citytv's 'Canada's Got Talent.' Her long string of hits includes 'That Don't Impress Me Much,' 'Any Man of Mine' and 'Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?' 'I can't think of a better parade marshal,' said Joel Cowley, the Stampede's chief executive. 'We expect to see 300,000-plus lining the streets once again. What a great way to kick off the Calgary Stampede.' People have traditionally arrived hours before the parade begins to get good seats. Stampede Park has been busy for the past week as crews assemble midway rides and concession stands. Gregg Korek with North American Midway Entertainment will be making his 49th appearance at the Stampede. He likens it to getting ready for the prom. 'We're just putting on the corsage right now,' he said. Growing up in Calgary, Korek joined the midway group as a teen. 'I always say I like all of our fairs exactly the same, but I like this one a little bit better because I'm a Calgarian.' Cowley said Stampede attracted almost 1.5 million visitors last year. Of that number, he said about 73 per cent were from the Calgary area. Another nine per cent were from Alberta and 10 per cent were other Canadians. The rest came from the United States or other countries. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. With Canadians unhappy about tariffs from the U.S., Cowley said domestic visitors could be higher this year. 'It is an international event, and I would think this year we would see a lot of Canadians looking for a Canadian vacation to come here to the Calgary Stampede,' he said. The first Stampede was in 1912, and Cowley said the event stays true to its agricultural roots. 'It's really something that needs to be experienced. At the heart of what we do is agriculture and Western heritage,' he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2025.
Hamilton Spectator
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Uniquely Canadian': Stampede begins with parade led by country star Shania Twain
CALGARY - The Old West will be on full display as thousands clad in tassels, boots and buckles march through city streets today to kick off the Calgary Stampede. Country superstar Shania Twain will saddle up and lead the parade on horseback before performing Saturday at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Stampede runs until July 13. The 'Man! I Feel Like a Woman' singer, who was raised in Timmins, Ont., last took the stage at the Stampede in 2014. Twain, 59, is country music's top-selling female artist, according to Billboard. She is currently a judge on Citytv's 'Canada's Got Talent.' Her long string of hits includes 'That Don't Impress Me Much,' 'Any Man of Mine' and 'Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?' 'I can't think of a better parade marshal,' said Joel Cowley, the Stampede's chief executive. 'We expect to see 300,000-plus lining the streets once again. What a great way to kick off the Calgary Stampede.' People have traditionally arrived hours before the parade begins to get good seats. Stampede Park has been busy for the past week as crews assemble midway rides and concession stands. Gregg Korek with North American Midway Entertainment will be making his 49th appearance at the Stampede. He likens it to getting ready for the prom. 'We're just putting on the corsage right now,' he said. Growing up in Calgary, Korek joined the midway group as a teen. 'I always say I like all of our fairs exactly the same, but I like this one a little bit better because I'm a Calgarian.' Cowley said Stampede attracted almost 1.5 million visitors last year. Of that number, he said about 73 per cent were from the Calgary area. Another nine per cent were from Alberta and 10 per cent were other Canadians. The rest came from the United States or other countries. With Canadians unhappy about tariffs from the U.S., Cowley said domestic visitors could be higher this year. 'It is an international event, and I would think this year we would see a lot of Canadians looking for a Canadian vacation to come here to the Calgary Stampede,' he said. The first Stampede was in 1912, and Cowley said the event stays true to its agricultural roots. 'It's really something that needs to be experienced. At the heart of what we do is agriculture and Western heritage,' he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
