Pete Reyes smiled while glancing at dozens of local youths playing ball hockey on a freshly laid and painted concrete court alongside Kraken mascot Buoy and television broadcaster JT Brown.
Parks Tacoma commissioner Reyes had attended Saturday’s ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of Verlo Sport Court, a $225,000 project spearheaded by the One Roof Foundation (ORF), the NHL and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health to transform an existing basketball court into a 5,000-square-foot multi-sport playing facility. The Verlo Playfield location, decorated with artwork from local youth, has fenced-in features for ball hockey, basketball and modified soccer futsal with permanent sports equipment to encourage play.
“I mean, we’re in the east side of Tacoma right now and this has been a historically underserved community,” Reyes said. “So, having this here is such a treasure because this (hockey setup) wasn’t an accessible thing for them. So, I’m really glad it’s here.”
Saturday’s ribbon cutting, hosted by Kraken radio play-by-play man Everett Fitzhugh, was attended by a bevy of community leaders, NHL, team, and ORF officials.
The project was first announced by ORF — the community and charity arm of the Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena — in the days leading up to the outdoor NHL Winter Classic game on Jan. 1, 2024, between the Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights.
It’s the second of five such courts being developed by ORF in an ongoing effort to increase access to play by providing equipment, resources, and programs throughout the Puget Sound area. The first court opened two years ago in Bryn Mawr-Skyway with a celebrity 3-on-3 ball hockey tournament featuring Kraken Hockey Network analyst Brown and former Seahawks receiver Jermain Kearse.
The refurbished Verlo Sport Court features built-in hockey nets, new basketball hoops and freshly painted lines with a Kraken logo at the center.
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