Barry Coulter
A century is coming together in Creston next month, and ice is the name of the game!
The Creston Valley Minor Hockey Association (CVMHA) is hosting the 2023/24 U18 Tier 4 provincial hockey championships, March 17-20. At the same time, the Association is looking to create a legacy project to celebrate 100 years of history, people and voices of ice sports in the Creston Valley.
This in turn ties in with Creston’s centenary, which will also be marked this year.
“We wanted to have an opportunity to celebrate our local heroes,” said Kala Hooker, with the CVMHA. “We thought it was really great timing, and could tie into a legacy for the future, so visitors, community members could celebrate our local ice sports heroes with a permanent installation — all the memorabilia, the stories. We have quite a rich history of ice sports here.”
The U18 Tier 4 Provincial Championships feature teams from all over the province, who will converge on Creston in March to vie for top honours.
“These visitors are coming from across the Province to spend a week playing hockey, eating at our restaurants, staying at our hotels, shopping in our stores and experiencing our beautiful community,” a release from the CVMHA said. “The economic input of an event like this cannot be understated and is an important opportunity for the valley.”
The opening ceremonies for the tournament on March 17 will include a ribbon cutting event to celebrate 100 Years of Ice Sports in the Valley.
The legacy project itself will take the form of a permanent exhibit, likely at the top of the wall behind the seating in the Johnny Bucyk Arena — as much as 60 feet of display cases. It will be a tribute to what a century of ice sports and all those involved has meant to the community, and the unique history of the community.
It will celebrate important hockey individuals, like Johnny Bucyk, Jet Fumerton, Jamie Huscroft, Darren Jensen, Jake Livingstone, Randy Rota and others.
And while hockey looms large in that history, it’s much more than just hockey.
“We’re connecting with the curling and figure skating communities,” Hooker said. “It’s not just the individuals. There are the different groups, the different facilities.
“But where I see it starting is with the Yaqan Nukiy and the connection to the land, and what winter and ice meant to them.”
The CVMHA applied to host the provincial championships because it coincided with 100 years since Creston’s incorporation as a town in 1924. The Association is conducting a series of community engagement sessions on the project, gathering stories and information ahead of the tournament, with the next one scheduled for February 28, 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Rec Centre.
There are also sponsorship opportunities available.
For more information, email secretary@crestonvalleyminorhockey.com.