The BC Hockey League (BCHL) announced dates for the 2023 Road Show event, which will be held in Burns Lake, at Tom Forsyth Memorial Arena.
The event will be held on Feb. 18 and 19, during the Family Day long weekend, where the Prince George Spruce Kings and Salmon Arm Silverbacks will play two regular-season games.
After postponing the games last season due to COVID, the league will be bringing back the road show, and will be partnering with Lake Babine Nation.
“We were disappointed to have to postpone our event last season,” said BCHL CEO Chris Hebb. “But we are excited to announce these new dates and begin planning with our partners at the Lake Babine Nation, who have been a great group to work with.”
With this event, BCHL is hoping to bring high-level hockey to the village.
“The goal of this event is to bring high-level hockey to an area of the province that does not get to experience it every day and we can’t wait to get to Burns Lake and show that community what the BCHL is all about,” said Hebb.
Last year, Lake Babine Nation had said that all surrounding First Nations had agreed to work together in support of the event, including, Wet’suwet’en First Nation, Cheslatta Carrier Nation, Nee Tahi Buhn Indian Band, Skin Tyee Nation and Ts’il Kaz Koh First Nation.
“I humbly acknowledge and appreciate the BCHL’s commitment to keeping the Road Show in the Village of Burns Lake and on the unceded traditional territory of the Ts’il Kaz Koh First Nation,” said Chief Murphy Abraham of the Lake Babine Nation. “We made a tough decision to postpone this event last year due to the pandemic, but now with restrictions lifted, the show must go on.”
For the Nation, some of the goals for the event would be to get reconnected with one another, build on the positive family atmosphere within the communities, and inspire children and youth with the sport of hockey.
The BCHL had hosted their inaugural Road Show in February of 2020 in Kitimat, B.C., and similar to that show, the event in Burns Lake will not just include the game, but will also give the BCHL players and staff an opportunity to engage in community events and initiatives, such as school visits, hockey camps and more.