Wednesday’s grand opening for the Osoyoos Indian Band’s new band office featured some unconventional elements for a grand opening — lots of old hockey jerseys, not to mention having the Stanley Cup and NHL-great Reggie Leach.

“I wanted something else special to go along. Just a ribbon-cutting, that's normal stuff," Chief Clarence Louie said. "And you can't get more special than the Stanley Cup, and having the best native player that ever played in the NHL, Reggie Leach, as part of an opening of our band office.”

A band office that is much more than just an office, Louie pointed out.

"The band office to me is not just an administration office. It deals with everything from cradle to grave for our people here," Louie said.

"And sports is a big part... We do believe in sports, and hockey is still the number-one sport here. And that's why I wanted the Stanley Cup here and also Reggie Leach."

When speaking to the crowd of hundreds on Wednesday, Leach said he has visited close to half of the First Nations reserves in Canada to share his story and pass on knowledge.

Leach grew up in a First Nations community in Riverton, Manitoba, and grew up playing hockey in his home-province.

Leach, the 'Riverton Rifle,' played 13 NHL seasons. He won a Stanley Cup with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1975.

His best season in his career came the following season, when he scored 61 goals in the regular season and 19 more in playoffs.

His 19 playoff goals in 1976 are tied for an NHL playoff-record to this day.

Leach and Lord Stanley’s Cup were evidently the main attractions for members of the public who were on hand at the Osoyoos Indian Band on Wednesday.

"The kids nowadays don't remember Reggie Leach, they never saw him play," Louie said. "But he's got a Stanley Cup ring — not many people have that.

"It's awesome to see just how many kids and adults glaze over when they see a Stanley Cup ring. Many of our people really care about that."

Louie said Wednesday’s event also served a purpose of showing kids the values learned from playing sports, particularly hockey.

"Part of the council's role is to encourage sports. And sports still needs to be a big part of this community."