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含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社渉aving a blast.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淭he community has been great, lots of kids are showing up and having a good time,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淭he sun含羞草研究社檚 out and anytime you get a chance to play road hockey it makes me a little nostalgic. It含羞草研究社檚 always fun to get a little road hockey game going.含羞草研究社�
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.
含羞草研究社淚 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含羞草研究社檛 believe they don含羞草研究社檛 have a multiplex or a facility and I know how gloomy it can get here in the winter,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淲e thought it would be a cool idea to bring up some NHL guys and former NHL guys and just bring awareness towards it含羞草研究社ockey is Canada含羞草研究社檚 sport and it含羞草研究社檚 just such a beautiful community and such a great part of the world it feels like it deserves that. It seems like it含羞草研究社檚 going to be a process, but it含羞草研究社檚 one that we含羞草研究社檙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.含羞草研究社�
He said the group had recently been in Hazelton for two days to celebrate a now completed Multiplex they helped raise funds for.
含羞草研究社淭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含羞草研究社檚 brought the community. It gives the kids up there a place to go and skate and gather and create friends and bonds for life,含羞草研究社� he said.
He added multiplex facilities can connect communities while also forming lifelong bonds.
含羞草研究社淵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,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 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.含羞草研究社�
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.
含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檙e wanting to support small communities and remote communities with recreation and health and wellness, in a proactive way,含羞草研究社� she said.
含羞草研究社淚t just really shows that people care. We含羞草研究社檙e in a remote community and I think the essence of all of this is that remote communities don含羞草研究社檛 have the amenities and all of the things that larger city hubs have. They含羞草研究社檙e bringing that awareness and their care and showing they know that we含羞草研究社檙e having these struggles and that they want to help us do better for our communities and our future.含羞草研究社�
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含羞草研究社檚 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.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 fun and it含羞草研究社檚 something that含羞草研究社檚 healthy for them to do. To bring everybody out on such a beautiful day has been absolutely, overwhelmingly amazing,含羞草研究社� she said.
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