ManitobaThe family of late Winnipeg Sea Bears captain Chad Posthumus says the homegrown basketball star would have been so proud to see a new court named in his honour at the North Kildonan recreation centre where he grew up playing.Local basketball star played first games at Gateway Recreation Centre, mother says at ceremony FridayLauren Scott · CBC News · Posted: Oct 10, 2025 2:55 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours agoThe mother of late Winnipeg Sea Bears captain Chad Posthumus says the naming of a North Kildonan basketball court in his honour will be something the family cherishes forever. (Gavin Axelrod/CBC)The family of late Winnipeg Sea Bears captain Chad Posthumus says the homegrown basketball star would have been so proud to see a new court named in his honour at the North Kildonan recreation centre where he grew up playing. The Chad Posthumus Memorial Court was unveiled at the Gateway Recreation Centre on Gateway Road on Friday morning — something Posthumus’s mother said the family will cherish forever. “Chad would have been so proud to see that his community was growing the sport of basketball and providing opportunities for everyone to participate in the sport that he loved so dearly,” said Diana Posthumus, who previously played for the women’s national basketball team. Chad’s first basketball games were played at the Gateway Recreation Centre through the Winnipeg Minor Basketball Association at age nine, she said.”He loved his community and he proudly represented them from the time he started playing to when he became the Beast from River East while playing with the Sea Bears.” Winnipegger Chad Posthumus, seen in May 2023, was the first player signed to the Sea Bears. (CBC)Posthumus was born and raised in Winnipeg, playing for the River East Collegiate Kodiaks during high school. He played professional basketball in Ottawa and Saskatchewan before returning home to become the first player signed by the Sea Bears when the Canadian Elite Basketball League expanded to Winnipeg in 2023. Posthumus suffered a brain aneurysm during a training session last year. He died on Nov. 20, 2024, after surgical complications left him in critical condition in the intensive care unit. Posthumus was 33 — the same number he wore on his jersey. His No. 33 jersey was retired at the Winnipeg Sea Bears’ home opener in May. A stretch of road outside the Canada Life Centre was also renamed in May to honour the late captain. Donald Street, from Portage to Graham avenues, now carries the commemorative name Chad Posthumus Way.Sea Bears owner David Asper said the team lost the “soul of the franchise” when Posthumus died just under a year ago. “This past year, I can tell you on behalf of the Sea Bears, we were missing the heart and soul of our team,” Asper said. The North Kildonan memorial court is part of a series of upgrades at the Gateway Recreation Centre, including four new pickleball courts, paved pathways, bike racks and seating areas, the city said in a news release. The project cost $569,000, with about three-quarters of the funding coming from municipal programs and funds, the city said. The rest of the money came from the province’s sustainable communities fund. The Chad Posthumus Memorial Court is put to use at the Gateway Recreation Centre on Gateway Road in Winnipeg on Friday. (Gavin Axelrod/CBC)Mayor Scott Gillingham said people across the province have been reeling from the loss of Posthumus. The Sea Bears player was “always a positive force within our community,” Gillingman said.Rossmere MLA Tracy Schmidt said she was always filled with a sense of pride as a north Winnipegger when the Beast from River East was introduced at Sea Bears’ games. “Chad was a real inspiration to this community,” Schmidt said. “He was a real leader in our community.”Asper was happy to see Posthumus’s impact both on and off the court honoured on Friday. “We were very honoured to have him as part of our team, and it’s wonderful to see that his legacy lives on,” Asper said. ABOUT THE AUTHORLauren Scott is a Winnipeg-based reporter with CBC Manitoba. They hold a master’s degree in computational and data journalism, and have previously worked for the Hamilton Spectator and The Canadian Press.With files from Gavin Axelrod
New basketball court honouring late Sea Bears captain Chad Posthumus unveiled in North Kildonan
