Hockey Day in Hazelton: Growing the Game One Community at a Time Nestled in a little nook in northwestern BC, built on the junction of the Bulkley and Skeena Rivers, in the middle of the Roche de Boule Mountain Range, you will find the picturesque Hazeltons. From the moment we pulled into this town, we knew it was going to be a special weekend. We were greeted with open friendliness and a warm welcome wherever we went and everyone we met was proud and happy to share their story about life in the Hazeltons. The community was enthusiastic to welcome us new-comers with open arms. Although we stood out like sore thumb as “non-locals,” the immediate friendliness and energy was felt. We arrived early so we decided to take the opportunity to explore the historic and scenic area of the Hazeltons. First stop: Old Hazelton. To get there, we had to cross the breath taking Hagwilget Canyon Bridge, a one (1) lane suspension bridge 80 metres (262 feet) above the raging Bulkley River, which boasts incredible views of the river below and the gorgeous Roche de Boule mountain range. Once we crossed over the Canyon Bridge, we pulled over to enjoy the majestic viewpoint of the Skeena River, Hagwilget Peak (or Stegyawden, a Tsimshian name meaning ‘stands alone) and the rest of the Roche de Boule. One word: Amazing! We rolled into Old Hazelton where we were transported back to the pioneer days when riverboats travelled up and down the Skeena River during the gold rush of the late 1800’s. The village remains much like the original settlement and the old city bell still stands tall outside the Hazelton Municipal Office, but the boarded up shops and hotels were signs of the struggling economic state of the area. We embarked on the “Hands of History,” a self-guided driving tour that took us through the original township and through the villages of Hagwilget, Gitanmaax, Glen Vowell and Kispiox. The tour was marked with a series of distinctive ‘Hand of History’ signposts displaying a Gitxsan design of peace, an open hand, and a short description of a person, historical event or land-form that played an important part in the history of the Upper Skeena region. It led us through the ‘Ksan Historical Village, a replicated ancient village with large decorated house fronts and totem poles. The sites were incredible, each rooted with rich history. Setting the scenic backdrop of the Hazelton Arena, also known as Ken Trombley Memorial Arena, is Stegyawden to one side and the Seven Sisters, a spectacular range of peaks, to the southwest. An absolutely stunning view! The Hazelton Arena hasn’t always been an outdoor rink though; in 2015 the aging building was deemed too dangerous to keep open. With the exception of the dressing room and lobby, the entire arena was torn down. Volunteers stepped in to refurbish the boards, install a new lighting system, restore power and build a shed. The cement footings still remain surrounding the arena. The community has long recognized the need for a year-round recreation centre, including a new arena. After four (4) years of work with local funders, the province and the federal government, the community joined the BC Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Todd Stone, to make an important announcement on funding for an Upper Skeena Recreation Centre; the federal and provincial governments announced their financial support for the construction of a new recreation complex. Not only will a new skating rink be included, but also a fitness room, a gym and community rental space. With the recent economic, health and social issues that have been facing the Hazeltons, the Upper Skeena Recreation Centre will bring hope and rejuvenation back to the community. With over 40 years of history, the arena has seen the passion the community has for hockey, and other sports such as figure skating. Parents who grew up skating at the “old arena” are now watching their children play on the outdoor rink. As much they hated to see the roof go, they could not imagine not having an ice surface for their kids to learn the game and have fun. That afternoon we met with Hazelton Minor Hockey Association President Ryneld Starr, and Learn to Play participant Josiah Dundas, to present him with his brand new hockey gear from the Vancouver Canucks. He seemed a little apprehensive at first, but once he had his helmet and skates on, he was ready to hit the ice. But he would have to wait for the event the following day. “The look on the faces of the young hockey players as they picked up their new equipment was a highlight of this experience for me,” said organizer of the group Heart of the Hazeltons, Peter Newbery. “They were only a little more excited than their parents, who were filled with gratitude.” Each week, the arena opens the ice to the public for a night time community skate. Skating under the bright lights, in the open air is something you can’t find everywhere; really, how many places are there? So we laced up our skates and hit the ice with the locals. That’s when we met Vernon, a 10 year old boy who had never been on the ice. He sat in the stands with his skates on, but feared going on the ice with his buddies because he didn’t know how to skate. “Well let’s get ‘ya out there bud!” So we did. He struggled the first lap around, tightly holding the old wooden chair as it slid across the ice, but before you knew it, he got it! During a break for a quick ice clean, Vernon asked, “Will you come out there with me again?” “Of course!” After a couple more laps, he then joined his buddies and they all skated together, sharing laughs and having fun. The smile on his face each time he passed was incredible; heart melting really. And wouldn’t you know it! Josiah was so eager to get on the ice, his mom Erin brought him to the public skate and helped him learn the basics of standing and moving across the slippery surface. His grin was beaming from ear-to- ear when he came off the ice and you knew that he was pumped for the Learn to Play event the next day. The next morning we were back at the arena to prepare for the arrival of the Vancouver Canucks team and alumni for the launch of the Learn to Play Program, and to watch the Initiation 3/4 tournament with teams from Hazelton, Smithers and Kitimat. With an outdoor rink, weather is a huge contributing factor to whether you skate or not. We could not have asked for better weather; the sun was shining, the temperature was below zero and the ice, close to perfect. “The weather could not have been better [minus three (3) or so through the day] with sunshine. We had tournament participants here from Smithers and Kitimat and other communities, and it was a great day of minor hockey,” added Newbery. Canucks alumni Kirk McLean, Dave Babych and Jyrki Lumme arrived at the arena and wasted no time checking out the stunning beauty of the rink and surrounding sights. The Canucks media crew and local television reporters chatted with the former players for a few upcoming specials for Canucks TV and a program called Open Connections that airs on CFTK TV Terrace. The backdrop of the young players and Stegyawden was stunning! After the final tournament game of the day, the Learn to Play participants hit the ice with local coaches to have fun and learn some fundamental hockey skills. A pre-event ceremony welcomed the Canucks alumni, BC Hockey Chair of the Board Randy Henderson, Canucks Centre for BC Hockey and Alumni Liaison Rod Brathwaite, Hazelton Mayor Alice Maitland, local Gitxsan Chief Frances Sampson and Newbery, and Starr MC’d the event. Sampson welcomed everyone with a traditional Gitxsan welcome, spoke in her native tongue, while others spoke on the amazing opportunity the Hazeltons have been given and how this program and new facility will help grow the game of hockey and provide hope and inspiration for the youth of the Hazeltons. Then it was time for the fun part – the main event! Over 40 Initiation and Novice aged kids, the majority who were from First Nations communities, and who had never played hockey before, hit the ice to learn from local coaches and the former NHL all-stars. There were several stations positioned around the rink, each with a different game, like Simon Says, or fun activity, like diving, to introduce the new players to hockey. The smiles and laughter of the kids was contagious! Everyone at the arena was wearing a warm smile. CLICK HERE to view all the pictures. CLICK HERE to view a short video by Canucks TV. After approximately 45 minutes of on-ice fun, that portion of the day wrapped up with cheers from the players, parents and everyone who was at the arena. "We showed up to our outdoor rink Saturday, welcomed by blue skies, perfect temperatures and a clean sheet of ice and the day got better from there. It was so encouraging for the future of hockey in Hazelton to see so many kids lined up along the boards ready to play hockey, and so many parents and family members ready to watch,” commented Starr. “Hazelton MHA, the Canucks and BC Hockey have the same goal: to grow the game.