Greenfield Park shocked by allegations against former coach 'but some aren't surprised'

He was the hockey coach trusted by most, a regular fixture at local sports tournaments and on the community rink, a volunteer, a former cop, and — many thought — a mentor to young boys. 

But at least five men say Frank Lamarre abused that power to sexually assault them. For some, police say the abuse lasted years. 

Longueuil police arrested 70-year-old Lamarre, who is also a former Montreal police officer, Tuesday. Lamarre was charged in court Wednesday with gross indecency, indecent exposure, sexual assault, sexual touching and invitation to sexual touching.

The infractions are alleged to have involved four victims, but Longueuil police believe there could be many more. Lamarre is alleged to have committed the crimes between 1972 and 1997, when the men were 9 to 16 years old.

Wade Wilson became the fifth alleged victim to come forward Wednesday. His allegations have not yet been included in the criminal charges. 

On Thursday, Longueuil police said they had received 18 calls so far from potential victims or witnesses.

The Longueuil city councillor and lifelong Greenfield Park resident says the charges had brought back difficult and "vivid" memories. Wilson said he wanted to share his story publicly to encourage others to reach out to police. 

• Retired Montreal police officer, minor hockey coach charged with sexually assaulting boys

"I'm finding it a little more difficult today than it has been for the last 45 years because I never really processed it," Wilson told CBC. 

"But, you know, realizing how many people it's touched, I second-guessed myself, that maybe if I did something years ago, I could have saved a few kids this torture."

Wilson says Lamarre, a hockey coach at the time, befriended him and his friends in the early 1970s. 

"He would take us out for ice cream or hot dogs, or whatever and then tried to molest us on several occasions."

Longueuil police say the assaults are alleged to have taken place in arenas, at Lamarre's Greenfield Park home and in his car. 

Wilson says he and other boys he knew were groped in the coach's car.

"He'd start a little wrestling match and start to grope you."

Another alleged victim told CBC he had been trying to get police to take his allegations seriously for more than 20 years. 

The man, whose identity is protected under publication ban because he was a minor at the time, preferred not to go into details of the alleged assaults, but says he's relieved charges have been laid. 

Former NHLer says alleged victims have reached out

Garry Galley, a former NHL player who grew up in Greenfield Park before moving to Ottawa in his teens, says he knew Lamarre as a young hockey player in the 1970s.

Galley said he didn't know about the alleged assaults at the time, but that former teammates who say they were assaulted by Lamarre have reached out to him since. 

"These people have been affected by it their whole life," he told CBC in a phone interview. 

"When somebody is in power like this, it's extremely difficult because as a young child, you know, you wonder who's going to believe you."

Galley was surprised to hear the assaults investigated by Longueuil police happened as late as 1997. 

It's a shame the charges have only surfaced now, Galley said, because those who were victims decades ago "they're going to be victims twice."

But as a "support system" to some of those people, Galley said he understood how wrenching the idea of coming forward has been for them. 

"If you know somebody that's gone through any type of abuse like that, you know they compartmentalize it and lock it away," he said. 

"Then what happens as they get older, it affects everything that they do."

'I knew to stay away back then'

The allegations have reverberated throughout the tight-knit community on Montreal's South Shore. 

Joey Vine, 55, who owns Quinn Antiques on Churchill Boulevard, said he played hockey with Lamarre on the outdoor rink in town as a teenager. 

He says he remembers finding it odd a coach in his early thirties would bother to spend so much time on a rink to play with young boys. 

"A 32-year-old man with a bunch of 16-year-olds, I knew to stay away back then," he said. 

Vine said several friends and patrons had stopped by to talk about Lamarre and the allegations. 

"Shocked, but some of us aren't surprised."

Another resident, Susan Rasmussen, says she remembers Lamarre as a constant presence around the arena and its surrounding park throughout the 1970s and 1980s. 

"I knew him him just as a quiet … and friendly guy and he always had kids hanging around him," Rasmussen said, adding something about the memories felt unsettling. 

For some the allegations have been difficult to accept. Tom Veysey said they had brought him to tears because he looked up to Lamarre as a child. 

"It feels like someone killed Superman."

Lamarre has been released pending a court appearance later this month. Under the conditions of his release, he is not allowed to speak to any of the complainants or anyone under the age of 18.

Anyone with information is asked to call Longueuil police at 450-463-7211.