The True Value Boys & Girls club is in Little Village, approximately six miles southwest of downtown Chicago. The ball hockey rink was built at a completely renovated outdoor courtyard between the club and the Spry Community School.
“We’ve seen firsthand the absolute incredible things that can happen when a community comes together and commits to ensuring bright futures for all of our kids,” Holly Allen, chief advancement officer at Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, said.
“Over the years the Blackhawks have enriched the lives of our club members, really, in countless ways, from unforgettable moments like trips to Blackhawks games or once-in-a-lifetime experiences to these really critical investments in our sports, fitness and academic programming. They really, really continue to show up for our kids.”
Faulkner said the all-weather rink will be available for year-round use.
“Grab a basketball, grab a stick, grab a soccer ball or just play tag,” she said. “You can do whatever you want.”
In addition to the court, the renovation features new landscaping and a new mural that was designed and painted by Sentrock (aka Joseph Perez), a self-taught street artist from Chicago.
The mural, which spans the Boys & Girls Club back wall, depicts the vibrancy of Chicago communities, featuring girls and boys wearing Blackhawks-inspired jerseys and playing hockey outdoors.
“I mean, it’s just stunning,” Allen said. “And it serves [as a tribute] to the partnership we’ve been fortunate to share with the Blackhawks Foundation and really a tribute to the vibrancy of our Little Village community.”
The League and Chicago Blackhawks also gifted 200 free tickets to community organizations across Chicago to attend the Winter Classic game at Wrigley on New Year’s Eve.
Tickets were gifted to the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago as well as Chicago Blind Hockey, Chicago Gay Hockey Association, Girls in the Game, Puerto Rican Ice Hockey Association, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Sled Hockey, Chicago Storm Special Hockey, and Chicago Warriors Hockey.
The Winter Classic is still more than two weeks away, but for those at the ball hockey rink ceremony on the southwest side of Chicago on Monday, outdoor hockey came early.
“Yeah, it’s a lot of fun. I remember coming here last year and seeing them, their excitement toward hockey and this is where we want to grow the game,” Bedard said. “For them to get this court here is really nice and they’re having a lot of fun, so that’s what it’s all about.”
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