BURNABY, B.C. – The BC Hockey League has partnered with the Climate and Sport Initiative to integrate a Save Pond Hockey event into the league’s 60th Anniversary outdoor weekend in Penticton Jan. 14 to 16, 2022.
As part of the Save Pond Hockey event, Hayley Wickenheiser and a group of other special guests will be in attendance to participate in the weekend’s festivities and also share their message of climate change action.
Penticton was selected from a pool of applicants to be one of three locations that will host a Save Pond Hockey event in Canada in 2021-22.
“We would like to congratulate the community of Penticton for being chosen as our first Save Pond Hockey event host,” said Mike Gerbis, CEO of GLOBE Series and The Delphi Group. “These events will give us the inspiration and tools to take action on climate change and save our winter sports.”
Led by Leading Change Canada, The Delphi Group and GLOBE Series, the Climate and Sport Initiative seeks to remind Canadians what they are fighting for when they act on climate change.
In partnership with the Save Pond Hockey movement that began in Europe, the Climate and Sport Initiative is bringing Save Pond Hockey events to Canada and bringing star athletes, sports enthusiasts and sustainability experts together to take on climate change.
“We are thrilled to welcome Hayley Wickenheiser and her hockey colleagues to our 60th Anniversary event in Penticton,” said BCHL Deputy Commissioner Steven Cocker. “Pond hockey is an example of our game in its purest form and, with our event taking place outdoors, it seemed like the perfect fit to partner with them and help spread such an important message around climate change. We feel honoured to be one of three Canadian communities selected for such an event.”
“The City of Penticton is excited to host the BCHL’s 60th Anniversary and Save Pond Hockey event,” said City of Penticton Mayor John Vassilaki. “This event will be a great way to showcase the brand-new downtown ice rink while celebrating the strength of our hockey community and climate initiatives.”
Further details on the involvement of Wickenheiser and the other athletes will be announced at a later date.
For more information about the Climate and Sport Initiative and their events, visit: http://climateandsport.ca/.
About the BCHL:
Sending more players on to college hockey every season than any other hockey league in Canada, the BCHL has established itself as a national leader in the development of young student athletes. Considering today’s NHL features more NCAA alumni than ever before, Junior A hockey is fast rivaling other leagues in North America as a breeding ground for the sport’s most elite and successful players. In 2019-20 alone, there were 196 BCHL players who received scholarships to top schools in the U.S. and Canada.
BCHL Media Contact:
Jesse Adamson
Manager, Communications & Events
BC Hockey League
604-354-0035
jadamson@bchl.ca
About the Climate and Sport Initiative:
The Climate and Sport Initiative uses sport as a platform to educate, engage and empower Canadians to protect our planet for future generations. The multi-year initiative will include a series of live and virtual public events and experiences, interactive challenges, and prizes. It is led by GLOBE Series, The Delphi Group, and Leading Change Canada, funded in part by the Government of Canada, in partnership with the Clean Foundation, and championed by Hayley Wickenheiser. https://climateandsport.ca/
Climate and Sport Initiative Media Contact:
Alex Carr
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
GLOBE Series and The Delphi Group
778-384-8711
acarr@delphi.ca
City of Penticton Media Contact:
Carly Lewis
Economic Development Manager
City of Penticton
250-276-2165
carly.lewis@penticton.ca
