Tumbler Ridge among 13 communities getting $50,000 in annual Hockeyville contest
CBC
Tumbler Ridge is representing B.C. as a regional finalist in the annual Hockeyville contest, which has been expanded for its 20th edition.
For the 2026 version of the contest, 13 communities — one in each province and territory — is receiving $50,000 for arena upgrades.
Additionally, two communities will go head-to-head for the grand prize. The runner-up will receive $100,000 for rink upgrades and the winner will get $250,000 plus the chance to host a pre-season NHL game.
All 13 finalist communities are also getting $10,000 in new hockey equipment.
"This is huge," said Dennis Campbell, president of the Tumbler Ridge Minor Hockey Association and its teams, the Tumbler Ridge Raptors.
"Under normal circumstances this would be amazing, but with the tragedy we've had in our town, it would be unbelievable to see this happen for our little town and community, to help us out a bit."
Tumbler Ridge is still recovering after a mass shooter killed eight people and then herself. Five of the victims were 12 and 13 year-olds killed at the local Grade 7-12 high school, including 13-year-old Ezeikiel Schofield who is memorialized on the Raptors website as "goofy, fun and truly one of the kindest kids we ever had."
Thirteen-year-old Maya Gebala, described as having "a larger-than-life personality that fills a room," was shot numerous times and remains in hospital with serious, long-term injuries.
Campbell said his own kids played alongside Schofield and Gebala and their absence, as well as those of the others killed, is being felt.
"They were all time, these kids," he said. "To lose these kids is unbelievable ... it's nothing you would ever want to wish on your worst enemy."
Tumbler Ridge was nominated for the Hockeyville contest by Theresa Nevills, who lives more than a thousand kilometres away on Vancouver Island.
She said she was inspired to rally behind the community of roughly 2,400 after reading how the local community centre, which houses the arena, had become a gathering space in the aftermath.
“That space is sacred to them,” Nevills said in an earlier interview with CBC News.
“That's where everybody went to join hands, rally each other and be there for each other, hold each other and get them through the first couple of days of what had happened.”
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