North Saanich, B.C. has been named the winner of Kraft Hockeyville 2015.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman made the announcement Saturday evening during Hockey Night in Canada.
In addition to winning $100,000 in arena upgrades to Panorama Recreation Centre Arena B, the community will host a pre-season NHL game between the Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks later this year.
Although the population sits at just north of 11,000, North Saanich has produced a number of quality hockey players including brothers and Dallas Stars teammates Jordie and Jamie Benn.
The arena upgrades will come in handy for the only hockey facility on the Saanich Peninsula.
“We currently do not have a dedicated locker room for the junior hockey team nor space for storage, meeting or office use by Peninsula Minor Hockey (PMHA),” local hockey dad Jason Fletcher wrote in the community’s official nomination.
The positive impact this project will bring to the community is that the local hockey and lacrosse teams at every level would now have a place to call their own and a greater opportunity for local players to remain close to the community they have grown up in.”
The runner-up, Chatham-Kent, Ont., will also receive $100,000 in upgrades to Chatham Memorial Arena.
