Laughter and playfully competitive camaraderie filled the Vancouver Island community of Ty-Histanis last month as it hosted ball hockey games with 8 current and retired NHL players.
The group was led by Nashville Predators star Tyson Barrie who joined Power to Give and the West Coast Multiplex Society to raise awareness and support for the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation community害羞草研究所檚 proposed ice rink, swimming pool and gathering space facility.
Barrie told Black Press Media during a break in the Aug. 17 action that he was 害羞草研究所渉aving a blast.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭he community has been great, lots of kids are showing up and having a good time,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭he sun害羞草研究所檚 out and anytime you get a chance to play road hockey it makes me a little nostalgic. It害羞草研究所檚 always fun to get a little road hockey game going.害羞草研究所�
Barrie said he had been looking for ways to give back and was working with Power to Give when he discovered the work the West Coast Multiplex Society was doing to bring a swimming pool and ice rink facility to the local area.
害羞草研究所淚 grew up in Victoria and I always loved coming up to Tofino and enjoying the beauty and what it has to offer. I just kind of can害羞草研究所檛 believe they don害羞草研究所檛 have a multiplex or a facility and I know how gloomy it can get here in the winter,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e thought it would be a cool idea to bring up some NHL guys and former NHL guys and just bring awareness towards it害羞草研究所ockey is Canada害羞草研究所檚 sport and it害羞草研究所檚 just such a beautiful community and such a great part of the world it feels like it deserves that. It seems like it害羞草研究所檚 going to be a process, but it害羞草研究所檚 one that we害羞草研究所檙e happy to try to help aide and be a part of and I think it will be a pretty cool thing to see up here.害羞草研究所�
He said the group had recently been in Hazelton for two days to celebrate a now completed Multiplex they helped raise funds for.
害羞草研究所淭hey have a beautiful multiplex up there that they worked hard on getting and put a lot of time and effort and money into it and you can see how close it害羞草研究所檚 brought the community. It gives the kids up there a place to go and skate and gather and create friends and bonds for life,害羞草研究所� he said.
He added multiplex facilities can connect communities while also forming lifelong bonds.
害羞草研究所淵ou learn how to put others ahead of yourself, you learn how to create bonds and do things for one another and you create friendships that last a lifetime,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 still friends with the kids I grew up playing hockey with and playing sports with. That sense of camaraderie really brings people together and it can take you to some really cool places.害羞草研究所�
West Coast Multiplex Society chair Samantha Hackett told the Westerly she was thrilled the players were so passionate about raising awareness for the local project.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e wanting to support small communities and remote communities with recreation and health and wellness, in a proactive way,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淚t just really shows that people care. We害羞草研究所檙e in a remote community and I think the essence of all of this is that remote communities don害羞草研究所檛 have the amenities and all of the things that larger city hubs have. They害羞草研究所檙e bringing that awareness and their care and showing they know that we害羞草研究所檙e having these struggles and that they want to help us do better for our communities and our future.害羞草研究所�
The Multiplex Society hopes to break ground on the new facility at the end of 2024 and is currently working on a federal grant application led by the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation that害羞草研究所檚 expected to be submitted later this year.
Tla-o-qui-aht Education Manager Iris Frank told the Westerly that providing recreation opportunities through the ice rink and swimming pool as well as a gathering space for events make the multiplex project a key focus for the First Nation.
She added she was ecstatic to see such a large turnout for the Ty-Histanis hockey game.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 fun and it害羞草研究所檚 something that害羞草研究所檚 healthy for them to do. To bring everybody out on such a beautiful day has been absolutely, overwhelmingly amazing,害羞草研究所� she said.
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